Wholesomely Broken
by BelovedKiki
Summary: Allen was abandoned when he was young. He has no memory of his early years of life, and so assumed his parents cast him away because of his arm. And who’s to say he’s wrong? Maybe his sister will know. Blood, romance, etc.
1. Fate Plans

**I DO NOT OWN D. GRAY-MAN! Although that would be neat-o. This is just a small fanfic I made. So...yeah. I do, however, own the two characters Cloud and Feral. MINE! Bye~. **

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Chapter One: Fate. Plans.

It was more of a ghost town than a town that could be inhabited by humans. The streets and buildings were more or less intact, but the place itself let off a peculiar aura. The dark cobble stone roads and close buildings almost seemed to be breathing, speaking in whispers, their voices hiding in the mist.

Kanda walked into the eerie place with an apathetic stare. However, Allen and Lena Lee were huddled together, jumping at every little sound. Kanda tried to ignore them as they descended deeper into the misty village.

The Black Order received information about survivors of the old experiments that used to take place. Apparently they had all banded together, having lost their faith in the Order and in God, and lived now in an abandoned village where no one would disturb them. How they found this place, and how they receive food and other necessities is unknown. The Oder only concentrates on one thing. Possible exorcists.

"Would you quite shaking Moyashi? Help me find the Tavern." Kanda said irritably.

"My name is Allen." Allen scowled. However, the two ignored him and kept close together, just waiting for something to pop out. The buildings were becoming closer together the deeper they went. There were no longer any alleyways to escape from, only the sinister avenues and ominous edifices like towers.

"I hear voices…" Lena Lee whispered.

"It's the wind. This place is old." Allen tried to reassure her.

"No, I mean I can hear voices! And music!" Lena Lee pointed to one of the far buildings, across what seemed like a train station. There was a dim light coming from the windows. As soon as Kanda's and Allen's attention was directed to it, they too heard the soft murmur of laughter and music. Kanda smiled and walked toward the building at a brisk pace. Allen and Lena Lee were quick to follow.

"Wait, Kanda, don't do anything-" But Allen was too late. Kanda kicked the door open and stood in the entrance. He looked into the mash of people before him, as they all stared at him in alarm and incredulity. The music had stopped and the voices had quieted. All attention was on the three strangers at the door, dressed in black. The Tavern people were all dressed mostly in rags, Allen noted. They looked to be poor, and some were a little disfigured. He felt a little ashamed for barging in here, coming to ask aid of people who hated the Order. But they needed help.

One man stood up. He had half his face melted away, and was wearing only a tattered shirt and pants. Allen and Lena Lee grimaced, but Kanda only returned the glare he was receiving.

The man spat to the side. "Order scum." He said. Everyone else immediately erupted into glares and snarls. "This ain't no place fer you!"

Kanda stepped in. "Who here is compatible with innocence?"

The response he got was an empty beer bottle hurtled his way. It crashed into his face, the little remnants flying across him to lightly hit Lena Lee and Allen. They shied away from the shards, a natural human reaction.

"Git out! No one here can use that stuff!" A woman screamed. The others pitched in, screaming insults and cuss words. Kanda was losing his patients, especially since he had been hit with the bottle.

"Damn peasants." He pulled out Mugen and was more than ready to strike down the first person who came near him.

"Kanda wait!" Lena Lee pleaded. Allen was already grabbing onto his arm, trying to stop him, while the crowd was in no way helping the situation.

Just then, a door could be heard opening. Someone came flying off the balcony, and landed on a nearby table, standing tall and looking stern.

"Enough!" The stranger called. Everything went silent.

~X~

When you first saw her, you would think she was ugly. Many people wouldn't be able to see that feral beauty about her. She was a fighter, and looking almost nothing like a lady. She was strong, skilled, caring, and more or less indifferent. Regardless…her elegance shown through.

She had short white hair that fell slightly past her ears. It was untamed and straight, flowing with her movements. Her light azure eye did not reflect her age, as most did. They were deep with knowledge, and old with experience. Her body was lean and fit, a muscle protruding into view every now and then. While it was evident that she was no lady, but still lady-like in her own way, the scars of time were also manifested on her body.

Her left arm was gone. The scar stretched across her back and shoulder, going over her left eye, half blinding her. There was another gash next to the scars of the missing arm, as if to complete the marring. There were other smaller scars, including one on the lower part of her right back, which looked like how a prisoner would measure time in his cell. Her right ear was missing a section, a small triangle from the swing of a blade. There was a cut across her right shoulder. Down her arm were numerous smaller cuts, along with a pinkish-red X at the bend of her arm. Her hand, had been burned it appeared. It spanned along the top of her hand, from the curve of her fingers to the far back of her wrist. The darker part of the scar took that form of a flame, oddly ironic. On the right side of her torso was a deep X shaped slash. There was another slash below it, just on her hip. On the left side was a deep and rather painful looking bullet wound.

Her waist and legs weren't as bad off. She had one large gash and burn on her left leg, another side effect of losing her arm. There were scars where bullets had grazed her, smaller cuts, and a large wound on her right leg where a sword had impaled her. It spanned across her knee, and reminded her of lightning. Most of her scars were old, running from childhoods past. Now that she was stronger, the scars she received came of protecting. She was not a savior. But she was a protector.

She looked most like everyone else in the Tavern. She wore an old red tank top. Her blue jeans were so faded and filled with tears and holes; they didn't seem fit to be jeans anymore. She didn't even have shoes.

Cloud could hear the rumbling of a fight coming from the Tavern below. She knew the sound of an oncoming fight well. She sighed, rubbing her temples in exasperation. There was always something wrong. Always something happening that gave her another scar somewhere, or another metal wound to add to her collection. She grimaced at the thought. She hated it. Being the way that she was the life that she lived. But it was the only life she knew, and as much as it pained her, she wouldn't have it any other way. She was a fighter.

She looked to her friend Feral. He was a lean black cat, with white paws and a sharp tail. He had white around his eyes and two white lines below his eyes. He had a white mark on his forehead that looked much like a hooked question mark with a squiggly tail, a got in the middle, and three lines coming form the curve like slashes. He had one shimmering golden eye, and one dark red eye, reminding Cloud of blood. He smiled at her, that kind of knowing smile cats made.

_"Trouble below?" _He asked her.

"There's always trouble below." Cloud mumbled to him. She leaned back in her wooden chair, throwing her pen back onto the desk. Her room was bare except for the desk. She didn't like sleeping inside, she felt cramped. A small candle was her only light. She blew it out, and opened the door that led out into the Tavern. She looked down from the balcony, into the angry mob of people that was forming. Cloud saw what the commotion was. Exorcist. She saw a young girl with short black hair, she looked Chinese. There was a Japanese man next to her, also with long black hair in a pony tail. And then there was…

_"The past really is a ghost on your shoulder." _Feral noted as he jumped onto Clouds shoulder, and nuzzled her cheek affectionately, as if to calm her.

"You're the only one on my shoulder." Cloud scoffed.

_"You're still going down?" _

"It's either that or watch them kill each other."

_"Good point." _

Reluctantly, Cloud swung over the beam, and landed with a loud thud onto one of the Tavern tables.

"Enough!" She screamed into the crowd. Everyone went silent, and all eyes were on her. Cloud looked at the exorcists, not with a glare, but with a cold stare none the less. She locked eyes with all of them, only spared a brief glance for Allen. She saw, though, the way he looked at her like seeing an old friend that had been gone for years.

"You should know better." Cloud said calmly to the Japanese man. He yanked his arm away from Allen, and glared at Cloud with a snarl on his lip.

"We are-"

"I know what you're here for." Cloud interrupted him. "And I'm saying it's foolish. Besides, no one here can use innocence."

"Really?" The girl asked, almost hoping for a "Well actually…"

"No." Cloud said sternly. The girls head fell.

"Then maybe someone could help us by becoming a finder?" Allen's voice chipped in. All eyes moved slowly toward the ignorant youth that had spoken. He shrunk a little at the cold gaze. "Listen." He pleaded. "We're loosing this battle. Badly. We need help, or the world will be destroyed _again. _Please." He begged.

Another bottle came flying threw the air, this time aiming for Allen. But this time, Cloud grabbed the bottles, without turning around, and let it fall to the floor.

"Enough." She spoke again. "There's no need for such things. They are doing you no harm, nor are they threatening. They are simply talking. You can't hurt people for speaking." Cloud said to the crowd without turning to them. She looked back to the exorcists. "You will leave now." She spoke softly.

"But-" Lena Lee tried.

"Leave. Now." Cloud said more sternly. She jumped off the table and followed them out the door, closing the Tavern door behind her. Feral was at her feet, mewling and rubbing against her leg. He was good at playing a normal cat.

"Go to the village north of here." Cloud said. The exorcists looked to her, surprised. "You should find someone willing to help there. They praise the Order."

"Thank you!" Lena Lee chirped. She ran up and shook Clouds hand, a joyful expression on her face. "Thank you so much!"

Cloud remained apathetic. "Your welcome."

"My name is Lena Lee Lee." Lena Lee said after calming down. It's nice to meet you. These are my comrades, Yu Kanda, and Allen Walker."

Kanda grumbled, crossing his arms in annoyance. It was obvious since there was nothing of use here, he wanted to be elsewhere.

_"He's charming." _Feral chuckled at her feet.

_"I concur." _Cloud responded. "I'm Cloud."

Allen stepped forward, almost shyly. "Have we…met somewhere? You seem familiar…"

"No." Cloud said almost hastily. "You should leave now, before things get worse then before. No one here likes the Order, as you know. Go to the village, I doubt if there's people who can use innocence there, but you may find someone willing to be a finder if you want."

"Okay…Thank you again for your help. Um…" Lena Lee said.

"I'm not particular towards the Order either. But I avoid unnecessary blood. Go." Cloud said, almost sensing what Lena Lee was going to ask.

Lena Lee bowed, as did Allen, seeing there was nothing left to do. Kanda merely grunted and walked off, down the road. The two left behind were quick to run after him, shouting insults after him.

_"He seems happy." _Feral jumped onto Clouds shoulder, comforting her again.

Cloud lifted her hand and scratched his neck, right where he liked it. He purred to her touch, moving against it. She said nothing.

~X~

_"Come fly little bird, come fly with me…Come fly, little bird, fly away with me…Come sing little bird, come sing with me…Come sing, little bird, come sing your misery…" _

_Little Allen cuddled closer into the arms that held him. His eyes were closed as he listened to the short lullaby, one that had just been a spontaneous blurt of words, but came out beautiful and comforting none the less. He felt himself coming closer and closer to sleep, as he concentrated on the arms that held him, and warmth they brought. 'I love you sis.' He thought. He wondered if she could hear him. _

Allen woke when he felt his head hit something. The train had lurched and his head hit the window frame, causing him to wake from his nice dream. He rubbed the bump that was forming.

"Ow~…" He moaned.

"Che." Kanda scoffed from the other seat. He was the only one who hadn't fallen asleep. Lena Lee still leaned against Allen, a soft smile on her face. "Stupid Moyashi."

"My name is Allen…" He mumbled as he continued to rub his head. He thought to the dream he had. _Sis…? _He thought. _I don't have a sister. _But then again he didn't really know. His first memories were all blanks. He actually knew nothing of his real family, whether he had a mother or a father, whether they were divorced or together, or if he had a sister for that matter. Was his dream trying to tell him he had family he didn't know about? He shook his head and chuckled. That was ridiculous.

"What's so funny Moyashi?" Kanda asked.

Allen looked up from his daydreaming. "Nothing, just thinking about my dream."

"Get your head out of the clouds."

_Cloud… _He suddenly thought. He looked up at Kanda.

"Do you remember Cloud? From the abandoned village we went to?"

"It only happened a few hours ago, of course I remember." Kanda snapped.

Allen put his elbows on his lap, and propped his head on his hands. He looked out the window with a thoughtful gaze, almost like he wasn't there anymore; his mind was floating somewhere else. "She looked so familiar…"

"She said she didn't know you." Kanda said.

"I know, but…Still. I just felt like I knew her somehow."

Kanda leaned back o his seat, closing his eyes. He didn't seem annoyed, only tired. "Whatever. She was pretty beaten up. I'd say she's seen her fair share of death and has had enough of it. That's probably why she lives in that village now, retired."

"Maybe she was one of the survivors too."

"Maybe."

~X~

Cloud grabbed the boys head and curled her fingers around his hair. She used his own hair to pull him down onto her knee, hitting him hard three times in the face. The third time she extended her leg to send him flying across the field. The second guy came at her, screaming with his fist ready. She quickly swept to the side, spun around and kicked him in the back. The third one came at her from behind and punched her hard in the back of the neck. She stumbled, and fell unto a waiting foot of the guy she had kicked. She grabbed him by the ankle and used her leg to push, breaking his leg. He screamed bloody murder, and Cloud knew he was done for the day.

But the other two were on her, trying to avenge their comrade. She hit one in the face with her elbow as he tried to come at her from behind, and the other with the bottom of her foot. She twirled around and grabbed one boy quickly. She took both his wrists in one hand, tricky but she accomplished it, and put her foot in the middle of his back.

"If I push hard enough…" Cloud spoke softly. "Both your arms will break."

"No don't!" The one who was still standing shrieked. "We'll leave! Please, let go!"

Cloud complied, picking up the boy with the broken leg and tossing him beside his friends. "Leave then. Don't forget why this happened to you maggots in the first place. Next time, I'll cripple you."

Cloud turned away in disgust as the boys fled. They had come to try and steal food from the poor, maybe even a good looking girl. It sickened Cloud to no end. Feral slipped from his hiding place in the shadows to trot gracefully by her side.

_"What filth." _He spoke.

"We're no different really. Just two odd kinds of filth." Cloud smiled at Feral, her dearest friend. "That was some nice cowering you did back there."

_"You think I would get my nails dirty over them? I think not child. That's mundane work." _He smirked.

"Mundane, hm…" Cloud said thoughtfully.

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**Yes I put in my own characters. Don't hurt me~! (hides in a carbboard box) I'm a fragile and delicate flower! Reveiw please~! **


	2. The Secrets I Keep

**Holy crap, I've been sitting here for _hours _writting this...I'm tired and stiff and full from icky meat that was all to eat! .**

**Tyki: -slaps Lauren- You wimp.**

**Lauren: -takes out the gun and shoots Tyki- Bitch, don't test a cranky white woman! **

**Allen: -cowers in fear-**

**Lauren: So anyways, sorry if there's typos, I think I got them all though. I'll re-read again and see if I missed any. Again, I do not own D. Gray-Man, but I own Cloud and Feral. MINE! I got three reviews on the very first day I posted and I'm very happy! -jumps for joy- Thank you all! I got some things on the reviews though, wondering why Clouds hair is white. YOU WILL SEE! Be patient my children. Enjoy the chapter!**

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Chapter Two: The Secrets I Keep

Cloud was in a foul mood ever since the exorcists left. She wanted to leave the small abandoned town called Dumary. It wasn't her who gave them everything they needed, she just chased off an occasional thief. But she had grown weary of the place, and long since wanted to move on. The people understood, but still, asked her to stay.

_"So hero, what's the plan?" _Feral mused. Cloud threw a rock at him as she walked down the road, annoyance all over her face. She didn't like being called 'hero.' Though she may have done 'heroic' things in the past, the word just didn't seem to suit her. Because of her appearance or her sort of villainy outlook, or maybe both. No one really knew, except Cloud of course, and she refused to tell.

Feral dodged the rock and kept walking, straight and proper like a royal cat. He usually didn't tease Cloud. Sometimes he would joke around to try and cheer her up, and this time was no different. But he knew better, and he mentally reprimanded himself for it. Of course, he didn't speak a word of it to Cloud.

"Damn it, this is going to end badly." Cloud mumbled as she neared the exit.

_"You're just going to leave? What about the people here?" _Feral sprinted to her side.

"They can survive, it's not like they can't handle themselves. Their just scared." Cloud snapped. "He saw me…I've got to go talk to Takuma."

_"Who saw you? Allen? Is that bad? Who's Takuma?" _For once, Feral had no idea what Cloud was talking about. He was the only one to know all of Cloud's secrets. But this one, it seemed, was the one she chose to keep herself.

The hardest thing she had ever done was something she never spoke of. It was the one thing that brought her hope and dismay all at once. And now, it seemed, it was all crashing down before her.

~X~

Allen drew out his sword from his arm that was his innocence. The Akuma before him roared, a level one new nothing else but deft sounds and growls. He ran for it, all ready to cut through it, and save the soul trapped inside.

Right as he was about to slash through, a katana blade shot through the body, impaling the Akuma. Allen nearly froze in mid air, but of course he couldn't move to avoid it, and so brought his blade down as well. The move was sloppy, as he made a last second decision to hit somewhere else. Never the less, his blade impaled the Akuma as well, and collided with Kanda's sword. The impact destroyed the Akuma and sent the two exorcists flying in opposite directions. Kanda got up quickly and barked, "What the hell Moyashi?!"

Allen got up groggily, to tired to argue. He just moaned and rubbed his head, where the bump was from the train ride. More head trauma.

His nights usually weren't so sleepless. Every time he went to sleep, he had a different scenario playing with the same people. He was young, way back since before he could remember anything, and he was always with this girl. He could never see her clearly. He could see the fields and towns they sometimes walked through together, but the girl was always blurry, like she was a ghost, just there to keep him company. He always looked happy though. He would smile, and laugh with the girl, and say 'I love you sis' a couple times. It was like…being with a family. It was like when he was with Mana. But this wasn't Mana, he was sure. And he was almost positive he didn't have a sister…

But he only told himself this because he didn't know. His memories of when he was young like that just weren't there. At first he wondered where the memories had gone, but Mana cleared away those thoughts. He was happy with Mana and that was all he needed to know. In fact, he didn't remember being alone for long. It was like he woke up to Mana's smiling face. Still…he felt the lingering sadness of abandonment. Maybe the dreams _were _trying to tell him something. Did he have family, that he just couldn't remember?

"Oi, Moyashi! Focus!" Kanda screamed. Allen snapped out of his trance. He looked up and saw Lena Lee and Kanda fighting off a level two Akuma. He wasted no time in joining the battle. He picked up his sword and sprung into the air, slashing through the thing as if it was nothing. Lena Lee soon came from the other side, hitting it with her dark boots, and delivering the finishing blow.

The two exorcists landed gracefully on the ground, joining Kanda.

"Is that all of them?" Lena Lee asked, looking up to the sky with a thoughtful look.

"For now." Kanda said. He looked at Allen. He had immediately gone back into his own mind. His eyes drooped every now and then, and he quickly opened them again. It wasn't like he was afraid of going to sleep. It's just that every time he woke up from that dream with the girl, he felt that abandoned feeling again. He didn't like it.

Kanda growled and grabbed Allen by the throat. Allen gasped and grabbed onto Kanda's wrists, a feudal attempt to stop him. It wasn't like he had any more strength to anyway.

"Damn it Moyashi!" Kanda spat. "You're slowing us down!"

"Let go Kanda!" Lena Lee pleaded. She put a hand on Kanda's shoulder, as if to tell him that was enough. Kanda wrenched his hand away, as if he had touched something unpleasant and walked away. Lena Lee grabbed onto Allen and helped steady him.

"Jeez…" Allen said, looking after Kanda. "He didn't have to choke me."

"Are you okay Allen?" Lena Lee said, ignoring his statement. "You look really tired. Have you been having nightmares?"

He met her gaze. "Kinda."

Allen explained everything to Lena Lee on the way back to the Hotel. She never said a word, but was intent on listening. Kanda, though he walked ahead as if he didn't care, listened too.

"It's weird…It feels like I know her too." Allen finished. "Like some of those memories I forgot are resurfacing."

"But why now?" Lena Lee wondered aloud. "Could it have something to do with our trip to Dumary?"

"That girl you thought you knew perhaps." Kanda said. He had given up on acting like he wasn't interested in the story, and waited for the two to catch up to him. He walked next to Lena Lee, his hand on the hilt of his sword, just in case.

~X~

Cloud barged through the door, not bothering to knock. She announced her presence by breaking the door in, and stomping to the nearest clear area, so she could pace in an annoyed fashion. The room she entered was clattered with decorated, trunks, boxes, bottles, and parchments. It was a room you expected to see in a wizard's house in one of those fantasy novels, light only by candle and the room made of a light oak. This wasn't much different from those novels really.

Takuma was sitting in one of the beanbags, reading a scroll when Cloud barged in. He was a slender, almost unusually so, man. He had deep amber eyes, with short, choppy brown hair, that fell down to his collar on one side, shielding his eye. He wore a green buckle up coat, black pants and shoes. There were keys strapped to belts all along his waist. What they were for was unknown. Cloud knew one of them was for the door though. Feral jumped onto the nearest box that was clear of paper. His tail twitched impatiently as he watched Cloud pace. Finally she calmed down and sat on the floor with a sigh. Takuma rolled up the parchment, seeing Cloud was done, and leaned forward to put a comforting hand on Cloud's shoulder.

"Tell me what troubles you so." He spoke softly.

"He saw me Takuma. What can I do to make it so he won't remember?" Cloud spoke quickly, almost as if she was frightened. Takuma leaned back in his chair.

"Little Allen saw you? How?"

Cloud explained what had happened, from how she helped the survivors find Dumary, convinced her rich friend to send them supplies, saying they would be 'even' now. Right to the part where the three exorcists, Allen among them, came into the Tavern. Takuma chuckled.

"What kind of fools go into a room full of people who despise them?" He laughed.

"I think your missing the basic point here." Cloud interrupted his merriment. Takuma sighed and folded his arms.

"If you bring him back to me, I might be able to block those memories again. Of course, the question is what to do with the Dumary memory…"

"Can you block that too?"

"Yes, but he will have questions. You don't just ignore a small hole in your recent memories. He may wonder what happened and…"

"That's fine. I won't be there if he ever goes back."

"Well that's not the problem. You see, blocking a _child's _memories is easy, especially if it's from birth. They'll just make up a story that fits and that will become their new memory. They won't ever question it. But someone who is older will defiantly wonder. And they will wonder constantly. Especially if there's a small gap in the chapter of his memory. One minute he was entering Dumary, and the next he's leaving? No middle part? Blocking a memory only works if the participant doesn't think about the memories. After all, they are only blocked, they can be resurfaced. And when say, young Allen remembers hid time in Dumary, he will see you again, and the old childhood memories in turn, will begin to resurface."

There was a long silence.

"So I'm screwed?" Cloud mumbled.

"Basically." Takuma shrugged.

_"Well…shit." _Feral shook his head in defeat. Cloud hung her head as well, not knowing what else to do. What could she do? At first she tried not to worry about it, thinking that since it had been so long, Allen would just brush it aside. But as she remembered the look on his face, she began to think differently, and she panicked.

_Oh boy… _She thought bitterly. _This is going to end badly… _

~X~

Cross watched from one of the high buildings as Cloud and Feral exited the small room they had just broken into. She picked up the door, and began to fix it, while Feral watched her, amused. Timcanpy flew around impatiently, tugging at Cross's hat occasionally. He wanted to get back to Allen, but Cross needed him for something.

He jumped down from the building soundlessly, and strode over to Cloud. Without a word, he took the door from her, and helped put in the last of the bolts. Cloud starred at him dubiously, glancing at Feral every now and then as he was pestered by the small golden ball. When they were done Cross patted the door and smiled at the handy work. They guy might still need a new door though.

"Not bad." He said. Cloud looked up, smiled back at him, and then shoved two fingers into a certain spot on his chest. He gasped, not expecting an attack for helping her, and began fall stiffly. Cloud grabbed him, and in a flash of what look like blue fire, the two were gone.

_"Hey…" _Feral mumbled as Tim pulled at his ear. He was close to eating the damned thing, and ridding himself of this annoyance. He sighed and began walked to the abandoned apartment complex where Cloud had teleported. Lucky the two were connected, or finding her would have been a bitch. The bothersome Tim of course, followed to pester poor Feral more.

Cloud dropped the man with long red hair onto the ground, propping him up on the wall so he could see a little. The room they were in was bare except for lots of rocks and an occasional mouse scurrying by.

"Who are you?" Cloud said calmly.

"I help you fix a door, and this is the thanks I get?" Cross said, apparently livid.

"I've learned not to trust people, even those who appear to be helping. Now, answer my question. You're an exorcist, right? What do you want with me?" Cloud put her arm on her hip and waited.

Cross sighed. "I know who you are. Your name isn't Cloud."

Cloud twitched at that, but tried to remain composed. "Really now? Because I've never seen you before."

"No, you haven't. And I have never seen you either. But I know of you."

"How, might I ask?"

"In my pocket…"

Cloud didn't respond, just walked forward to fumble through his jacket pockets. She felt a sleek piece of paper and pulled it out, just as Feral came bounding onto her shoulder. Timcanpy fluttered by Cross, now intent on pestering him instead.

_"That's…" _Feral's eyes widened. Cloud shot Cross a look of hatred.

"Where did you get this?" She said smoothly, her voice laced with venom.

"That's not important." He chuckled. "But after I found that, all I needed to do was a little digging around."

"Damn you…" Cloud's teeth clenched together in resentment.

"I need to ask you something. You've been following him around haven't you? You know about Mana, and the fourteenth."

Cloud looked back at the man as she crumbled the picture in her hand. Her glare could have killed.

~X~

"TIM~!" Allen screeched as he ran for the little gold ball fluttering toward at an almost deadly pace. They bumped into each other, and Allen quickly took Tim into his arms and hugged him affectionately. "You've gotten so big!" Allen said gleefully, like a parent would say to their child.

Lena Lee and Kanda caught up to the prancing boy as he fawned over his favorite companions return. Lena Lee smiled with Allen, but Kanda only sneered at his gaily jumping.

"Where have you been? Were you with Master?" Allen questioned.

At that Tim fluttered a few feet away and opened his mouth. A light came from within his belly, and a picture began to form.

"Is that…the girl from Dumary?" Lena Lee questioned. All three scooted in closer to see. They saw Cloud standing firm and looking angry. The picture quickly turned from Cloud, to Cross lying limp on the floor. Lena Lee gasped and Allen starred with disbelief.

"Tim, where is this? Can you take us there?"

Tim closed his mouth and flapped around wildly as if to say, 'yes.'

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**-stares with a goofy expression- What'd ya think?! Huh?! Huh?! It's ten at night and I'm slightly hyper! -dies- Again, sorry if there's typos or anything out of place, it's late and I don't have my mocha. REVIEW AND I WILL LOVE YOU FOREVER PLEASE! -salutes- Bye~!**


	3. Requiem of the Evening

**Yey~ chapter three~! This one took awhile, I had a big writters block. BUT IT'S OVER NOW! I like soda. The one that doesn't rot your teeth. :P The rest of you can beat it! **

**Tyki: Well _I'm _not picky about soda!**

**Lauren: You! I thought I got rid of you! Back to the pit from whence you came heathen!!**

**Tyki: That's rude! **

**Lauren: Die~! -beats him with a spoon- MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA~! **

**Allen: O.O;..... -slowly walks away-**

**Lauren: Whew...Sorry everyone! Lost the happy for a moment. But the happy's back! XD So this chapter is kinda like a filler. The plot thickens, some funny stuff happenes at other peoples expense, and we all laugh at them! But not Komui. Because Feral kills his face. :) Next chapter though...Well...yes. XD Enjoy~!**

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Chapter Three: Requiem of the Evening

By the time Kanda and Allen came bursting through the apartment door, Cloud and Feral were already gone. Cross was on his feet, dusting himself off. Timcanpy flew over to his master and fluttered around as if asking what had happened. Cross just brushed the little thing aside, and strode to the door. He stopped in front of a very confused looking Allen Walker. Kanda, as always, just looked annoyed.

"What happened Master? Tim showed us that you-" Allen was cut off.

"That I was attacked for _helping _someone? Yes, that was unfortunate. I won't be making that mistake again." Cross said with a huff.

Allen and Kanda exchanged glances as Lenalee came running into the room. She saw Cross, but didn't seem to pay attention to him as she scanned the room for other things.

"Where's Cloud?" she looked at Cross. "We saw her on the video Tim showed us…"

"She left quite awhile ago." Cross said. "To where I'm not sure."

"Why did she attack you?" Allen asked. "I don't think she'd do something like that for helping her."

"No." Was all Cross said as he pushed past everyone, walking out the door. Allen and Lenalee ran after him, spiting out unanswered questions. Kanda stayed behind. He looked into the bleak and depressing room, empty of all life and air. He took a few steps in, walking to the place where Cross and that girl, Cloud, had been. He scanned every corner, until he noticed a door, still untouched on the east wall. Without hesitation, he walked toward it, opening it with more force then he intended too.

Pure darkness met his gaze. It was so deep; he couldn't even see the floor in front of him. The light from the windows seemed to do nothing. It was like a room of tar you could faze through as if it were air. Kanda put his hand forward, when he felt a hand grab his collar and pull him back. He had Mugen ready, when Cross grabbed his hand and pulled him even farther away.

"We're leaving you behind." He said as he let Kanda go, and once again walked out of the room. Kanda took one more glance to the room of darkness, and then followed after the cranky general.

Feral waited until everyone had cleared out of the room. The samurai man had almost touched his darkness. Almost, but not quite. It would have been hard to get out of his trap.

Cloud jumped out of the room as Feral breathed in. The darkness swirled like dancing ribbon in the wind, all around him, till it disappeared into his slim body. He walked out of the now brightened room with a tall stride. He sat next to Cloud, who was glaring out the door Cross and the others had just left.

"That was a close one. Such an unnatural darkness would obviously draw someone in." Cloud sighed.

_"I didn't see you coming up with anything." _Feral licked his paws absentmindedly. Cloud slumped to the floor, and put her head between her knees, her arm hanging as useless as the stump at her side. Feral purred and rubbed against her, trying to cheer her up.

"Damn it…" Cloud cursed. "What am I going to _do_…?"

_"Well it seems to me that you're screwed." _Feral purred.

Cloud threw her arm in the air. "Thank you! Thank you very much, you little bastard." She returned to her slump. Feral chuckled at her. She could be entertaining.

_"I think it's time to go." _He said, and Cloud nodded.

"Yeah. Regardless of what has ensued, I have promises to keep."

_"And miles to go before you sleep." _Feral chuckled, quoting Robert Frost. Cloud smiled at her companion, stroking his fur before rising to her feet. Cross had made it apparent that she had to make herself known eventually. Maybe not known as family, but still known to Allen and everyone else. He wanted her to join the Black Order.

_"I'll die there." _Cloud said only to Feral as they walked out. _"That place…It's maddening just setting foot in that place."_

_"Some of the people there could be removed as well. Might make things easier. You think they'd be tasty?" _Feral raised an eyebrow at her.

_"Tempting. But you can't eat anyone." _Cloud smiled.

_"Of course, how could I forget?" _

"Sometimes it's pretty easy to forget. You're not anyone special." Cloud disappeared into the long streets.

_I have what you need. _He had said. _I have the Karada Ishi. You have something I need as well. And you know you do. We're losing this battle, we need someone like you._

_Someone like me. _She scoffed at the words, like they were tasty poison on the lips. But Cloud didn't say anymore after that. She stood silent and somber, as if someone had just ripped away her freedom, and there was nothing she could do. She cried from within. She never showed tears, never showed weakness. Such a life of bravery and madness was daunting on the mind. Soon, it would crumble under the weight of it all.

Cloud hated the Order. She had seen much of it in her days, how they used to experiment on humans to make them into weapons. It sickened her. Every time she came near that place, no matter where, she could feel the ghosts calling at her. Calling for justice, for a liberation that never came. She could only grit her teeth and try to block out the noise. The Order was filled with people who treated others like only tools, and that's all they were. Cloud thought to herself, _I am human. I will not be a tool._

_I am human… _The words rang back and forth in her head, giving her no peace. She did not sleep that night, but instead, wandered to an absent graveyard, somewhere far away. She stood upon the packed earth and stone monument.

"It would have been better if you were still here. Why'd you have to die you dumb bastard?" She sat there the rest of the night. Feral only watched his friend from a distance, and made up within his mind, what he would do.

* * *

_Come fly little bird, come fly with me…Come fly little bird, come fly away with me…Come sing little bird, come sing with me…Come sing, little bird, sing me your misery…_

_Allen clung to the form before him, with a sort of gentle force. It was a loving embrace, the kind of tight embrace you gave someone you loved more than your own life. Such a blinding love, but any kind of love was so easily broken. _

_Allen could tell it wasn't Mana. This person had brown hair, just like him. This person had deep blue eyes, like pools of vast knowledge. He loved those eyes. He loved that brown hair, this soft skin on the arms embracing him. But it wasn't Mana. He still couldn't see who it was who he loved so much. _

_He could see they were in a large grass field. It was all fresh, green as the day it sprouted from the earth. There were tall cat tails all over the place, giving the sunny grassland a homey kind of feel. _

_"Go on Allen." A soft voice cooed to him. It wasn't innocent. Allen to could sense some kind of guilt on the edge of the persons tongue, wanting to jump off into the unknown darkness. But it stayed on her tongue, like a ghost unwilling to let go of it's past. "Go run through the fields. See if you cancatch some crickets." _

_Allen didn't need to be told twice. He let go for a moment, and ran down the hill they were on. He grabbed a few cat tails, and then tumbled the rest of he way down. He laughed as he rolled to the bottom, hidden by the tall grass. What a wonderful place, it was like a dream. He looked up, and saw the person with the soft voice had come beside him, and now descended on him with wiggling fingers. The figure tickled him and they both laughed. Allen was able to wriggle himself free, and he gaily ran away, giggling the whole time. The figure laughed and ran after him, calling, "I'm gonna get you!" _

_Allen laughed and called back, "You'll never get me sis-"_

Allen shot up in his bed, panting. He wasn't sweaty, it wasn't a nightmare. The dream, like all the ones before them, had confused him to no end. What did it all mean?! Allen ran his fingers through hid hair and breathed, trying to calm himself. These dreams he was having…They were becoming clearer. He could almost picture the person beside him. He could see their hair and eyes, but everything else was fuzzy. Allen was almost sure, though, that he had never seen those eyes before. Sis…Sister? _Damn it… _Allen cursed. _I need Dango. _He got up and slipped on some cloths, making his way to the mess hall to eat. He hoped silently to himself, that things would get better.

* * *

Cloud moved her arm around uncomfortably. Her exorcist suit was very different from the usual baggy cloths she wore. It clung to her skin, so maybe people would be able to tell she was a girl now. That had to be an upside to all this right?

It was really all one suit, like the one's janitors wear. Clouds nose wrinkled at the thought. Her collar sat upright, the white trim around it flowing down to curve with the gold buttons. The trim went down her chest and disappeared between her legs, slim bars serving as the gold buttons. Her left pant leg continued down and flared a little around her white boot. Around her slim waist was a white sash, with a silver chain around it, and attached to it was a small key chain of the Order symbol. The same symbol was on the left side of her chest. Attached to the sash was a long white boot, held up by a strap and then eventually descending down and around her right leg. Strapped around that boot was a leather pouch that held many throwing needles. Her one arm was fitted with a white glove that ascended half way to her shoulder, with the Order symbol on the side as well. Her other sleeve, black with white trim like her left pant leg, flapped uselessly in the wind.

It had been a few weeks since Cloud had finally decided to hold up her end of the bargain, and join the Order. Her hair had grown a little. It looked smooth, and flowed around her face, even when she wasn't moving. It veiled her face in a silhouette of white. It made it look her look elegant, but her scars made her look deadly.

Her one cerulean eye starred impatiently at Komui, who was filling out her conditions for joining.

"So…The cat gets the same treatment as you?" He raised an eyebrow. Feral purred on Clouds lap as she stroked him, sitting tall like a king. He eyed Komui like he could see right through him.

"You'll see that Feral is as useful as I am." Cloud said. Feral grinned at the man.

"And you want freedom. Like Cross? I think you should know he just cut off all communications with us…"

"I know." Cloud said. "I already talked with him. I won't cut off communications, but I don't want to be here."

"Then why join?" Komui couldn't help but ask.

"You want me to leave?" Cloud raised an eyebrow. Komui sighed. They needed every exorcist they could find.

"No…It's all just curious. It seems to me like you don't want to join at all." Komui looked for a twitch to see if he was right. Anything to give her away.

But Cloud didn't move. She just smiled at Komui. "Maybe. But it's like the saying goes, 'If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself.'"

"I see…" Though he really didn't. He gave up on trying to decipher the girl and drew his attention to Feral, who still starred at him from Clouds lap. It was a little unnerving, the way Feral starred at him.

"And the cat…" Komui began.

"Yes?" Cloud still smiled.

"Well…He is a cat…"

"And?"

"We can't really…"

"Can't what?"

Komui starred at Cloud, who still regarded him kindly. He shook his head and moved to sign the papers in front of him. What a puzzling case. The new exorcists that came in usually had a clear reason for joining. Cloud didn't give him a reason at all. She came in with her new suit, Cross at her heals. Cross was the one that vouched for her as an exorcist, but Komui thought that Cloud could have gotten in on her own. She came at a perfect time for her to be crafty with demands. They were desperate for exorcists now, and she used that to her advantage. Komui wondered if he had made a friend or an enemy.

"Very well then. We'll…treat the cat kindly, and you don't have to stay here so long as you keep up communications. We just need reports on your recent actions. We can communicate everything via golem. But you might want to consider getting to know this place a little; it can be a safe place for when you need to recover." Komui smiled at her.

Cloud remembered how the last headquarters had been infiltrated by the Akuma, and then the ghosts of past experiments there had infected everyone with some kind of zombie virus.

_"Yes, safe indeed." _Cloud snickered.

_"You could at least humor him." _Feral snickered with her.

"Very well then, I'll take a look around." Cloud said. Just then, the door to Komui's office came open. In walked Allen Walker, Lenalee Lee, and Yu Kanda. They all carried papers from their latest mission, reporting in what had occurred. They all stopped when they saw Cloud, sitting leisurely on the couch with her legs crossed. She actually looked like a girl now.

_"Their in shock. You really are a woman." _Feral chuckled.

_"Shut up hairball." _

"Ah, perfect timing guys! This is Cloud and um…Feral. Cloud is a new exorcist here at the Order. Could you show her around?" Komui smiled.

"You joined the Order?" Lenalee stepped forward. "But we saw you in Dumary, with the group who hated the Order…Why'd you decide to join?"

Cloud smiled at the girl. "I said I avoid unnecessary blood. Akuma keep killing innocent people, if this is where I'm needed, then this is where I'll be." Lie. Lenalee and Allen didn't see it though, and smiled at her.

"So our mission wasn't a total failure." Allen turned to Lenalee.

_It was for me. _Cloud stood up as Kanda stalked past her, and flung his papers onto Komui's desk. He was about to leave when Komui called after him.

"Wait Kanda! I have a new mission for you!" Komui stood up, and walked beside Cloud, who stood up to meet him. Feral jumped onto her shoulder, regarding the folder Komui was carrying. "You'll be going with Cloud to a village that's had repeated Akuma attacks. It's an ocean Akuma, and they say it hides in the docks, waiting for people to try and deliver goods over seas. So as soon as Cloud is done with her tour, you'll both go." He handed Kanda the details. Kanda growled, not liking the idea of going off with someone who had just joined, and walked out of the room.

"That's his way of say, 'Okay.'" Komui smiled at Cloud, who chuckled at Kanda's annoyance.

_"A mission already…? My, my, they are desperate." _Feral starred after Kanda.

_"I think I'll need you now more than ever my friend." _Cloud said truthfully.

_"You'll never have to worry about that, love." _Feral purred and rubbed against Clouds cheek. Cloud smiled honestly and reached up to scratch his neck, right where he liked it. The two completely forgot the other three in the room. Lenalee reached out and lightly touched Feral on the head, petting him softly.

"He's so soft." Lenalee smiled. Feral took notice and growled slightly, if a cat could growl. Lenalee drew her hand back in surprise. Cloud laughed and pet Feral to calm him down.

"He's not a people cat." She smiled. "Give him time to get used to you." Feral curled up on her shoulder and closed his eyes in annoyance. No, he defiantly was not a people cat.

Cloud looked over and noticed Allen was starring at her. When he saw her look at him, he shook his head, blushed, and looked the other way. It wasn't the kind of blush when your caught starring at your crush. It was just an embarrassed blush, because he didn't really know why he was starring.

"It's alright." Cloud said. "It can be kinda hard to look at…"

Allen looked at her. He put his hands up in defense, waving them around for effect. "No, no! It wasn't your scars! I don't mind, really!"

Cloud laughed. "You're an interesting kid."

"C'mon, lets start the tour!" Lenalee pulled on Clouds one arm, pulling her away so hard that Feral fell off from his perch. Since that cat had been sleeping, he was very startling by the sudden jolt. He snarled and attacked whatever was nearest to him, which happened to be Komui. Feral latched onto the mans face with his claws, snarling angrily. Komui screamed and tried to pry the source of pain off of him. Cloud covered her mouth to hide the grin that was spreading, while Allen and Lenalee quickly rushed to the Chief's side. But Feral refused to let go, with the extra hands toughing him, he only dug his claws in deeper.

Cloud pushed past them, and lightly touched Feral's back. She made a soft noise, which almost sounded like singing, and Feral fell into her arm without any resistance. He curled up and purred in her arm, his tail twitching around happily. Cloud glanced at Komui's bleeding face, which was busy getting attention from Lenalee and Allen. She laughed silently as they all fretted over a few scratches.

"Sorry about that." Cloud said, putting Feral down and helping Allen and Lenalee open the door. Komui only sniffled. Cloud chuckled, as soon as the two were out of sight. She stayed behind as they carried him to the infirmary.

_"What a baby." _Feral licked his paws clean of blood.

_"You tried to claw his face off." _Cloud smiled down at him. She kneeled beside him, and allowed the cat to climb on her shoulder again.

_"But I didn't. He's over reacting." _Feral smiled back at Cloud. _"Besides, that girl should learn not to jerk you around like that. Cause I'm the one that gets flung around." _

_"I think she'll keep that in mind from now on. Well…Shall we get started on this mission?" _

_"What about the tour?" _Feral looked in the hallway Allen, Lenalee, and Komui had disappeared down.

_"I don't care about that. I'd much rather be out right now, kicking some ass." _

Feral smirked. _"Well then, by all means, lets do." _

* * *

**You will now tell me what your opinion is. do not just read or I will track you down and hang you by your toes, and force you to play the piano. :) ....No, I can't do that, but I'd be really~ happy if you reviewed! Till next ime! -waves and runs off into the distance-**

**Allen: O.O.....She's scary.....**


	4. Stillness of Devastation

**HOURS~! HHHOOOUUURRRSSSSSS~! My back hurts like a bitch. I was up till eleven typing this thing. I had to go really bad, my back was aching, and I was getting hungry. And surprisingly...I slept great! XD **

**Tyki: So then why are you complaining?**

**Lauren: WHERE do you keep coming from?! -takes out a pipe bomb- Die maggot! **

**Tyki: O.O Shi- -get's blown to iddy bitty pieces-**

**Allen: Why does this keep happening?!**

**Lauren: -coughs- Okay, if that didn't kill him, I don't know what will. Anyway, in this chapter, we find out a little bit more about Cloud and Feral. And I have established the Kanda cloud relationship. I was wondering how I could them together without them actually being together, ya'know? Soon i'm gonna get more into the Cloud Allen stuff, but for now, he's in denial. Yey~! 4/28/09 Lauren turned eightteen. Hurray every body! This chapter is my birthday gift to you~! Enjoy every body!**

* * *

Chapter Four: Stillness of Devastation

Cloud and Kanda both sat with their legs crossed, their hands in their lap, starring out the window with a kind of blank curiosity. They both seemed to be lost in their own thoughts to really notice each other. Feral lay curled up by Clouds side, purring in his sweep of dreams. The train ride remained that way till they reached the shores of Heartland Village.

Cloud, with Feral on her shoulder, looked about the small village with the same blank curiosity. She checked this off as just another port town. She'd seen many towns in her travels, and this one was no different. Besides the fact that they had a demon problem. Cloud flipped open the folder with the mission details. She looked at the print with a moderate interest for about the third time that day. The villagers didn't have much more to say other than boats had been disappearing in the harbor, no survivors. It could have just been a sea mammal attack. Though Cloud wondered what kind of animal would attack boats. Sea animals usually kept to themselves.

Cloud didn't really know where to go, so she took to following Kanda. He walked through the sleepy little town as if he owned the place. He seemed perfectly at home.

_"I think his face is frozen that way." _Cloud commented to Feral. Feral only laughed. Kanda walked up to a nig mansion that seemed to belong to someone important, or with a lot of money. It was made of brick and marble, made to look like it had been built a long time ago, but Cloud could tell it was new. That which is new and different can always be seen compared to that which is old and unchanging. Time is a funny thing, for all things.

There was a chubby man waiting at the door. He bowed to Kanda, and quickly opened the door, letting Kanda and Cloud in. Kanda just walked in without so much as a hello. Cloud and Feral bowed to the man as they passed, taking their time through the decorative house. They were greeted with a stair case and two mahogany doors on either side. The chubby man quickly got in front of Kanda and asked him to wait here while he told the Mayor they were there. Kanda grunted, and the man just stood there as if not knowing what to do. Cloud rolled her eye and stepped forward.

"That will be fine. We'll wait here." She smiled at the man, who smiled back, bowed, and was off through the right door. Cloud looked back at Kanda to find him glaring off at some plant placed on the side to liven up the room. Cloud laughed quietly.

"What?" Kanda finally looked at her.

"Oh nothing, it's just I was thinking how anti-social you are. It's funny to watch you try and communicate at this job. It's a good thing you have partners." Cloud smiled earnestly.

_"Ouch. That hurt his pride." _Feral grinned.

Kanda 'Tched' and turned back to the plant.

_"Thus proving my point." _Cloud mentally high fived Feral, who high fived back.

Soon the right door opened to reveal a slim looking old man in a long black and gold robe. The poor guy looked like he was about to turn to dust and fall apart right there. His white hair looked like wire on his head, and his amber eyes sagged. He looked over to the two exorcists and smiled.

"It's been awhile Cloud." He said.

Cloud smiled and outstretched her arm. "Old man Rian! Fancy meeting you here. You're the Mayor of Heartland?"

"I grew weary of traveling, and settled here. I was just a small helper before, but I suppose my good deeds got around. I am the Mayor now, yes." He hugged Cloud and patted her back. Feral even came onto her arm and gave Rian a friendly nudge.

"Nice to see you've finally settled down." Cloud grinned ear to ear.

"Can we save this reunion for another time? We have business." The three looked over to see a very annoyed Yu Kanda.

"Charming friend of yours." Rian sniffed.

"Isn't he? But he's right; we're here about the Akuma problem."

"You joined the Order?" Rian motioned for them to follow him to the left door, which led to a fine looking living room, with velvet couches.

"I'll tell you all about it later." Cloud sat next to Kanda and crossed her legs. "You said boats have been disappearing."

"Yes, yes." Rian sat down slowly, and sighed as he reached the seat. He was very old. "It used to be that boats would just not return. But lately, whatever it is has become impatient. It's destroying boats right at the harbor. Most unsettling for the residents, some are too scared to even come out of their houses."

"What makes you certain it's an Akuma?" Kanda asked.

"Well what else would it be? Whales don't attack boats and sharks are too small. Do have any other suggestions?" Rian raised an eyebrow.

Cloud moved her eye to look at Feral. _"You think one got out?" _

_"It's possible. I'm not a warden of the door, so…" _

"Very well then, we'll have a look at the harbor." Kanda stood up.

"Would you like to rest before you go out? That way we can prepare a small boat for you, tomorrow morning." Rian said.

"I'd rather-"

"That's a good idea." Cloud cut in. "Let's rest for the night. We'll check it out in the morning. Alright Kanda?"

Kanda was about to say something, but Cloud stood up and slapped him on the back. "Great! Let's go find the inn." Kanda glared, but saw that arguing with Cloud was pointless. She'd either blind you with words, or with pepper spray. Both of them worked. Rian chortled, knowing this himself. He gave Kanda a knowing smile.

"You can stay here, free of charge. There are plenty of rooms. I'll have the maids fix them up, and cook some dinner for you both. And Feral's favorite, of course." He smiled at the cat, before he walked out of the room. As soon as the door was closed, Kanda whirled on Cloud.

"We have plenty of time to check out the situation! _Why _did you do that?" Kanda glared. Cloud put in her best face of shock on confusion.

"What? I didn't hear you protesting. If you wanted to go now, you should have said something."

"You slapped me on the back!" Kanda rubbed his shoulder.

"That's what friends do! It's just a friendly pat on the back!" She patted his shoulder for effect.

"Bull shit." Kanda spat. Cloud laughed at that.

"You know, you could be amiable if your face wasn't always in a sneer. Listen, there's no point going out now when we're tired from the long train ride. It's better to go out when we're rested and better prepared. So suck it in." Cloud smirked. Kanda looked like he was about to hit her, but took to storming out of the room instead. Cloud put her hand over her mouth and chuckled.

_"I think your enjoying yourself." _Feral winced as Kanda slammed the door.

_"Angry people like him are amusing and pretty easy to taunt."_

_"That's cruel."_

_"Life is cruel." _Cloud stalked after Kanda. The rest of the day was spent with Cloud and Rian exchanging pleasantries. They ate dinner and sat in the living room, chatting about nothing in particular. Kanda soon retired to his room, tired of them both. When Kanda was out of ear shot, Rian looked at Cloud.

"The last I heard, you were with that group _against _the Order. And now you come as an exorcist? I'm very confused Cloud." Rian wove his fingers together.

Feral's ears perked. "You're not wrong." Cloud said. "I was only with them to help them get somewhere safe though."

"So you were never against the Order?"

"I never said that."

Rian drew back and sighed. "Cloud my dear, you are steeped in mystery. Perhaps you are against the Order, and perhaps you are not. Is that what you are saying? And yet you wear their logo. I don't know what to think. You won't tell me what to think, will you? There is still so much I don't know about you. We are hardly friends."

Cloud smiled weakly. "I suppose not. We all have our secrets. Some, more than others. I'm part of that 'some.'"

"And with secrets come mistrust."

"Not if their kept secret."

Rian sighed again. "It must eat away at you. All these things you hide from me. It isn't just me though, is it?"

_"He doesn't know about Allen?" _Feral asked, his ears still alert.

_"No…only you and Takuma know that. And Cross, I guess…" _Cloud's eyes glazed over in thought.

_"Well I didn't know about Takuma." _

_"Do you hate me for it?"_

_"No, love. We all have our secrets." _Feral smiled.

"No, it's not just you." Cloud smiled at the old man. "But would you like me anymore, if I was anything but what I am?"

Rian smiled at that. "No…It is the mystery that completes you my dear. Still…I can't help but think that it burdens you."

"Sometimes." Cloud said. "But I'm okay."

Rian stood up, and announced it was time for him to sleep. Cloud helped him up the stairs and to his room. She wished him sweet dreams, walking away as if to go to her own room. Feral moved on her shoulders, his ears and eyes alert to everything. They stood in silence for a moment, as if feeling the air around them.

_"He's asleep." _Feral said. _"And I don't think we have to worry about Rian." _Cloud nodded and silently descended the stairs, slipping out one of the windows before a maid could close it. She trotted down the streets, already seeing the sea in the distance. She moved a bit quicker, till she reached the frothy shores.

She walked just to the edge of the water, her boots barely touching the moving waves. She looked out into its depths, the night making it look black and ominous. The moon let off an uncanny glow on the waters edge. Cloud shivered. Feral moved his head out as far as he could, looking out as if he were scanning the area.

_"It's very quite. But it's not eerie. Just a normal night." _He regarded. Cloud looked out with him.

_"I don't hear the ringing…Maybe it is an Akuma." _She continued to stare at the sea.

_"That's quite possible, since it's the business we're in. We expect that which we cannot see now. It's no longer as easy." _Feral sniffed from the cold.

Cloud took one more wayward glance at the black abyss that served as the sea. The nights in a forest were calm and soothing. Everything came alive then, animals sang, wind brushed against the leaves to complete the symphony. The moon made the forest come alive with a dim light. The glow it cast seemed to show things in their genuine state, like the forest was born in the darkness to light up the rest of the world. But the sea…In the day it was beautiful, but at night, no matter what, it just felt dead. There was nothing here. It felt almost like something would rise up from the murky depths, and swallow you whole.

The waters shifted. The unnatural movement caused the waves to move more so onto the shore, splashing Clouds legs. She squinted her eyes into the darkness and saw the water shift again, moving with some giant shape. Then the ringing came. She heard the soft hum of bells in her ear, sweet and melancholy. Cloud threw her arm back and a blue aura swirled all around her hand.

_"It's one of them. Get ready Feral! It's coming!" _Feral jumped from her shoulders and blackness deeper than the night surrounded him like flowing curtains. They expanded and flew away to reveal a tiger where a house cat had been. Feral black fur coming in a wild mane from between his massive shoulder blades, and it sprouted from his long tail like it would of a lions. His dagger-like teeth jutted from his mouth as he snarled menacingly, his black wings stretching up to the sky. He roared, such a howl that could shake the very earth, challenging the thing to show itself.

The aura around Cloud moved like Feral's darkness, forming a sword in her had. The long silver blade glinted like a deadly silver lining in the moon. The creature of the sea rose from the deep, the black water falling helplessly from its body. The thing looked like a mutated whale, with hard ruts of spikes crawling down its back. It had tentacles instead of a fin, and big beady yellow eyes. Its teeth jutted from its mouth, ragged and rotting as they poked the sky. It opened its mouth and let out a screech, meeting the challenge.

_"We're gonna wake the whole town at this rate." _Cloud grit her teeth.

_"I'd say it's too late for that." _Feral moved around her at a dizzying speed, but Cloud caught his mane and rose with him to the sky. Cloud drew her blade back and flung it forward, sending a wave of blue aura like a blade of it's own into the sea creature. It exploded on contact, and the monster reared back, trying desperately to catch the flying thing. But Feral was fast on both land and air, despite the fact that his body was only made for one. He maneuvered away from the tentacles, focusing on areas it could not reach. Cloud sent wave after wave of power at it crushing it with the dizzying blows. It looked almost helpless as it thrashed in the shallow water.

_"This is going no where. Bring me down." _Cloud held on as Feral descended, moving past a few flying tentacles and twisting around in the air to safely deposit Cloud onto the creatures head. Cloud held her arm out to steady herself as the creature trying to throw her off. This is where only one arm became a disadvantage. It was harder to keep balance. But Cloud compensated with speed. She ran across the things massive head, her feet barely touching the molted skin. She skidded to a halt, landing on her knees just between the things eyes.

While in the air, Feral unleashed his own blasts on the monster to distract it. A beam of gold light and red lightning came from his throat and hit the monster like a knife to human flesh. Blood gushed from its side at the contact, bringing a scream and a violently thrash toward its source of pain. This was in no way helping Cloud. She tumbled to the side at the force. She quickly thrust her sword into the beast's skull, holding on with all her strength. The sudden jolt in the things skull was remunerated with another blast to the side from Feral. It moved toward him again, scooting closer to the water.

They were drawing it back to the sea. Soon its body, built for water, was back in its natural element, swimming deeper into the murky depths, with cloud still holding on. Feral was helpless to follow as he flew near the surface, keeping as close to Cloud as he could.

The beast became aware of Cloud and her sword embedded in its skull. It lashed about as it descended even deeper into the dark depths. Faces seemed to appear to Cloud there becoming to her with sweet promises of a quick death. Cloud grit her teeth on last time before she sent a shock of energy through her sword and straight into the beasts body. It seizured and shook, crying an unheard wail of pain. The blue aura formed cracks of light through its skin, as the power destroyed it from within. With a shaking realization, the monsters eyes glazed over, and became vacant.

Cloud let go, her sword dissipating and the light from the creature fading. It fell into the sandy sea floor, its haven now becoming its tome. With a silent prayer, Cloud swam up to the surface, barely having time to gasp for air as Feral scooped her up from the water. She shivered as the air hit her, unable to stop her teeth from chattering.

_"We have a problem." _Feral indicated to the shore, where a very shocked and dazed looking Kanda stood with his sword.

_"Great…" _Cloud mumbled. In the heat of the moment, Cloud had forgotten she was now an exorcist. Everything she did have to be reported and she had a partner. She stopped her chattering and sat tall as Feral landed on the beach. Cloud dismounted, and Feral walked beside her as he was, just in case. Cloud met with Kanda with a smile, despite the evening.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Cloud tilted her head slightly. Kanda wiped the look of shock from his gaze and lashed out at Cloud with his sword. Feral caught it between his teeth before it even got close to Cloud. He growled and bit down on the sword, putting dents in the metal. Kanda quickly withdrew it before Feral could cause any real damage. He stayed in front of Cloud, and snarled protectively.

"What are you?" Kanda asked. Cloud winced at the question.

"You mean me or Feral?" She continued to look innocent, but she knew there was no avoiding her fate. It was just a reflex now.

"Both of you!" Kanda glared at her. "That certainly wasn't an Akuma, and neither are either of you. Yet you killed it, and…and…"

"I think you looking to Feral on this one, since he can change." Feral growled low. "Feral is a demon. That thing you saw was an atrocity."

"Atrocity? What do you mean?" Kanda narrowed his eyes.

"There are things in this world we can not explain. Innocence is a prime example of that. Did you think it all simply fell from the sky? Maybe it did, but we never know for sure. The Earl, this Millennium Earl, is another thing, as well as his lap dogs, the Noah. Where did they get their power, hm? Can you tell me?"

Kanda lowered his sword slightly, his eyes becoming less outraged and more curious. He was listening. That was a good sign.

"We live in secrets Kanda. The Black Order is a prime example of that. There are things hidden in this world that you would never believe."

"Demons…"

"Are just one of them." Cloud took a step closer, and Feral changed back, the black strands swirling around him to reveal him in his house cat form. He jumped onto Clouds shoulder and mewled, still eyeing Kanda. "Demons have always been here."

"Does that mean there are angels?" Kanda asked. His sword was almost touching the ground.

"I've never seen an angel that wasn't in the sky. But yes, the exist."

Kanda looked at the tip of his sword, partly buried in the sand. He seemed to be contemplating everything Cloud had said.

_"What are we going to do about him?" _Feral asked.

_"I need to stay in the Order…We'll see if we can get him to go along. If not then-"_

_"I'll eat him?"_

_"No! You don't even like humans!"_

_"I know, but that way there will be no body." _Feral smirked.

_"Oh you dirty little-" _

Kanda looked up. "What are the atrocities?"

Cloud looked a bit surprised but answered anyway. "They're what linger in the limbo world. You know that place between life and death? They're called sweepers there, they eat any wandering soul. It's a terrible thought really, makes you want to make sure your 'cross over' properly. But there are doors that open when a soul dies, and sometimes the sweepers get out. Out here, their nothing but atrocities."

"But people die every second. They could come out by the bucket loads. How is it I've never seem one till tonight then?" Kanda raised an eyebrow.

"There are these guys who oversee the doors. Their called wardens. Anyway, they lead on new souls, and make sure no sweepers get through. Of course their not perfect, so every once in awhile, one slips past them."

"I see… And demons?"

"Their lots like people really. There are some good and some bad. While atrocities are pretty easy to get rid of, demons are little bit trickier. They have powers of their own, like Feral. They're here, hiding in plain sight" Feral mewled at his name. Kanda studied Feral, who raised an eyebrow as if to challenge the man. Kanda narrowed his eyes, suddenly noticing the very human gesture. Cloud shrugged Feral off her shoulder.

"Don't tease him." She scolded. Feral licked his paws.

Kanda and Cloud sat apart for awhile, as Kanda mulled things over. Cloud too was deep in thought as she pet Feral curled up in her lap. What would she do if Kanda didn't understand? She didn't want to cause a panic, and she didn't want the Order breathing down her back on his. She could zonk him out and take him to Takuma, but like he said, that would only work for awhile. She couldn't leave the Order…that would be breaking the silent deal she and Cross had. It really seemed like she was trapped.

"So you're like a demon hunter?" Kanda asked from behind. Cloud looked to the side.

"Yeah, I guess so."

"What kind of answer is that?"

"Take it or leave it samurai." Cloud mentally slapped herself. She wanted Kanda on her side, and making him mad wouldn't help. There were a few more moments of silence before Kanda spoke again.

"Alright. I've made my decision."

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**Hope you enjoyed everything. Review please. and if you see Tyki...tell me how he keeps coming back. Because I've killed that bitch thrice now. . Tootles!**


	5. Won't Back Down

**Okay, so there may be some typos. Bear with me people, I _am _only human. I'll try to read through it all later when i'm not so fawking hunched over with stress. Damn you math quiz! Damn you all to hell! So this is the fifth chapter and...............I don't know. I think that's it really. Cross hasn't died yet. But it's coming. Oh, it's coming.**

**Tyki: You're so eager to kill that guy. -smokes a cigar-**

**Lauren: NO~! I demand to know how it is you are still alive!**

**Tyki: I'm hot, you can't kill someone as sexy as I. -smirks-**

**Lauren: O.O.........-grins wickedly and takes out a surgeons knife- I can fix that! -throws Tyki on a stretcher and straps him down-**

**Tyki: No~ my beautiful face!**

**Lauren: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA~! -saws his face in two-**

**Allen: O.O -quails in fear- No! The horror! The horror~! **

**

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**Chapter Five: Won't Back Down

Rian had been told that the Akuma had been defeared, and the exorcists had left on the early night train. Cloud had left him a note. The train ride back was nothing like the train ride there. The two still sat across from each other, their legs crossed in a sort of nervous anticipation. Cloud bit the tips of her fingers and pulled off her glove. She let it fall to the floor, allowing her black to sleeve to free itself. Feral slept at her side, having lost interest in the coversation.

"It all sounds so ridiculous." Kanda murmured.

Cloud sighed. She had been telling Kanda for the past few hours about demons and atrocities. She told him that she wasn't really a demon hunter, just someone who avoided unneccesary blood shed. And rampant demons and atrocities running around killing innocent people counted as unneccesary blood. She told him that all atrocities were bad, since they ate lost souls, but not all demons were that way. She told him this world is wasn't always like this, and it's overwhelming for the demons. Some go insane, and others are just evil. She told him there was a secret place demons lived, but they couldn't all live there. Lenalee could be a demon for all he knew.

"So Feral's a demon…What about you? Those eyes…I always knew they weren't normal." Kanda eyed Cloud curiously, who yawned.

"I'm human where it counts." She said.

"But not totally human. Right?"

"Nah. Not anymore." Cloud looked out the window. The night sky and the moving train made it look as black as the sea. Cloud shivered, remembered the cold water and then the rush of icy air as Feral fished her out.

"What happened?" Kanda unconciously moved a bit closer.

"It was my choice. Maybe my fate, but I chose that fate then." Cloud starred out the window, into the black eternity, no longer really listening.

"That makes no sense…" Kanda scowled.

"Maybe not to you…" Cloud mumbled. "Just take things as they come Kanda. I'm human where it counts the most, that's all you need to know." Cloud starred at the discarded glove, looking abandoned and forgotten.

Kanda rubbed his chin in thought. He knew there was some subject she was avoiding. Something she didn't want to tell him. Maybe not so much that it was bad, but painful. He guessed, from pure observation, it had something to do with her white hair. _Like the Moyashi's. _Kanda starred at the glove as well.

He wondered what he should do with this new found information. It was like a whole different war was being fought on the same battlefield, but only three people knew about it. Cloud, Feral, and now him. He had seen the atrocity, seen Feral change into a tiger…thing that sould reach Clouds shoulders. He saw the blue aura eminate from Cloud and form a sword. He saw the blasts cuit through the atrocity like it was paper. He faintly wondered…

"Is your power innocence?" Kanda looked up at Cloud.

Cloud looked back. She had had three conditions for joining to Black Order, one of them was at Cross's request. Hers was that Feral was treated fairly, and they both had their freedom. She made it clear that she considered her 'cat' as an equal. Cross had requested something that Cloud had overlooked. Hevlaska, the inspector of innocence. Cross had made it clear that Cloud would stay away from the strange exorcist. Clouds face contorted in anger. How was it that Cross knew so much about her just by 'doing a little digging?'

"No…" She breathed the word out like venom.

Kanda raised an eyebrow. He picked up his sword, Mugen, and held the handle out to her. Clouds eyes grew wide and angry as she tensed. She starred at it with such disgust that Kanda thought she was going to snap and attempt to tear the sword apart. Feral opened one eye, feeling Cloud tense, his claws secretly flexing just in case.

Cloud slapped the sword away and glared at Kanda. "I don't have innocence and I don't like it. So keep it out of my face." It was a threat more than just a wish. Kanda could see in her eyes that it was more than just dislike. But he couldn't figure out _why _she had such disdain towards the thing that was supposed to save humanity.

Kanda put his sword comfortably by his side again. The two glared at each other, Cloud now aware of what Kanda was trying to find. The silence and the air in the room became thick, giving Feral the urge to jump out the window.

"What should I do Cloud?" Kanda asked suddenly.

"Keep fighting." Cloud said sternly. "Protect what's important to you."

"And what about this secret of yours? What if I decide to spill?" Kanda raised an eyebrow, but Cloud remained absolute.

"I will protect this world. With my life."

Kanda starred at her. He felt a bit of respect for the woman. He saw a bit of himself in that hard stare of hers. When Kanda first saw her, he had thought she was an ex-warrior. He had seen her haggard appearance, and thought she was nothing more than a scraggly beggar. Her fighting days were over. Even if he hadn't seen the fight with the atrocity, looking at her now Kanda saw he couldn't have been more wrong. Her fighting spirit was still very much alive. Kanda smiled.

"Very well then Cloud. It'll be _our _secret. We'll fight together."

Feral smiled at the two new found friends, and closed his eye. He was swiftly asleep in a matter of moments.

~X~

"Cloud! You left before I could give you a tour!" Lenalee stomped her foot in annoyance. Cloud, with Feral smiling happily on her shoulder and Kanda by her side, laughed at the girl.

"I just couldn't wait to get started." Cloud lied as she grinned. Lenalee crossed her arms.

Komui walked up with Allen and a red headed boy by his side. He had a considerable number of band aids from where Feral had scratched him. He walked up cautiously to Cloud, keeping a good distance between them. Feral didn't spare him a second glance.

"Welcome back!" Komui clapped his hands. Feral stop him a glare, and Komui put his hands up in defense. When nothing happened, he stood up straight and cleared his throat. "Cloud I don't think you've met Lavi yet."

The boy with red hair stepped forward. "Heya."

_"Bookman." _Feral said the name like a curse.

"Hello." Cloud said unemotionally.

"Well, as soon as you report in, you can get on with the tour!" Komui said cheerfully.

_"There are bookmen here…Why does there have to be bookmen here? As if things weren't annoying as they were." _Feral went on.

_"We'll leave as soon as everyone's pleased." _Cloud tried to calm Feral down. Kanda put her hand on her shoulder. He told her he'd take care of the report, sensing her already that she didn't even like the Order. Cloud smiled and nodded to him, waiting till he was out of sight with Komui till she looked back at everyone else. The all starred at her with their eyes wide and mouths agape. Feral and Cloud looked to each other.

"Yu-chan was _nice _toy you!" Lavi said.

"Kanda isn't nice to anyone…" Allen continued stare.

"That's really impressive." Lenalee pointed out.

Cloud shook her head and smiled. She looked at Lavi. "Yu-chan? Are you two close?"

Allen laughed. "No. Lavi just likes to tease him."

"I see." Was all Cloud said. Lenalee hurried them all down the hallway to start the tour. She showed Cloud all that she knew, considering the headquarters was new. She showed Cloud where the training area was, the dining hall, the baths, and the library. Cloud and Feral took a little time to investigate some of the volumes in the library before Lenalee asked her the millionth time to get moving. She didn't try to pull Cloud again with Feral on her shoulder.

Lavi would put in a joke every now and then. Cloud smiled but said nothing. Eventually Feral noticed Lavi leaning in next to Allen and whispering how weird Cloud seemed.

"And this is your room!" Lenalee said excitedly.

Cloud stopped. "My room?"

"Yeah, you know the place where you take all your cat naps?" Lavi pointed at Feral, who only rolled his eyes at the corny joke.

"That won't be necessary…"

"Why?" Allen tilted his head. Cloud stopped, but Lenalee stepped in.

"It's just in case you need a place to stay. We all think of this place as our home so…"

_"Pfft. Home. This is not a home." _Feral sat up tall. _"I want to go now." _

Cloud stood up and smiled. "Thank you for the tour. I'll keep everything in mind, but I am quite capable of taking care of myself."

"You sure you won't get lonely?" Lavi asked as Cloud began to turn away.

She turned around. "I have Feral. I'm never lonely." She noticed Allen trotting after her. She stopped and starred as the boy came up to her.

"Can I come with you?" He asked. Cloud looked surprised. Slowly she nodded and turned to keep walking. She heard him say goodbye to Lavi and Lenalee, and then Lenalee talking to Lavi about something. Allen was soon at her side, and they both walked out the door together.

~X~

The day had only just begun and the train was light dimly with a golden light. It was empty of everything, clean and ready for the next day of travelers. A woman dressed in black walked down the aisles, peering through the windows with a kind of blank look. She had long red hair, and red eyes to match. She wore a black knitted beanie hat, with some of her red hair showing through the design. She wore a baby blue tank top, with a black tank top over it. The black tank top had a white design of a warped heart, and silver petals all around it. She had on a pair of silver dog tags. She wore fingerless black gloves, a pair of black jeans, and a leather belt with two yellow holsters filled with daggers hanging on the sides. She wore a pair of dark blue tennis shoes, with a few black splatters on the front.

She stopped when she reached one of the compartments and hastily walked in. She picked up a long white glove left discarded on the floor, and fumbled around inside of it. She pulled out a thinly folded note with the name, _Lulu _scribbled on top of it. The girl quickly opened the note, reading the contents inside twice over.

"Okay…" She whispered, before jumping out the window of the train, with the glove and the note. Just then the conductor came by for inspection, closed the door, and paid the room no more mind.

~X~

Cloud smiled and stretched as soon as the sun hit her face. Feral followed her lead before falling step beside her, enjoying the cobble stone road beneath his paws.

_"I never thought I'd be so glad for the city." _Feral looked around with a wide grin. Cloud laughed at her friend, who usually didn't like people. Allen starred from Cloud to Feral, wondering if they could talk with each other. It seemed often that they could. He noticed as soon as Cloud left the Order, she brightened up and smiled the whole way to the café. She sat at a table and Allen sat across from her.

"So how come you don't want to stay at the Order?" Allen finally asked, breaking the silence.

"That place is a haven for malice it seems…" Cloud said as she looked out the window and into the setting sun.

"Malice?" Allen tilted his head. Cloud looked back at him and realized she was talking about things he didn't know.

"Uh…" She quickly tried to change her story. "I'm just…really sensitive. Spiritually I mean. And that place makes me feel very uneasy."

"Oh…really? I've never felt anything like that." Allen thanked the waitress as she brought him his drink. She winked at him and Allen blushed. Cloud laughed at him, petting Feral on her lap.

"Okay my turn. Why'd you follow me?" Cloud was still all smiles.

Allen looked back at Cloud. The reason he had followed her was because he still couldn't shake the feeling that he knew her. And his dreams were becoming more vivid, but the girl in his dreams looked nothing like her. But he still felt like they were similar in some way. Allen tapped his cup, wondering what he should do. He bite his lip and leaned forward.

"Do you…know anything about me?" Allen asked cautiously. Clouds smile disappeared. Allen went on to explain. "I've been having these dreams ever since I met you…Of me when I was young…memories I thought were gone a long time ago. In the dream, I see this girl with brown hair and soft blue eyes…I feel like I know her. Just like how I felt like I knew you that day I met you. I know you said you didn't know me but…I just really need to know for sure. Who is the girl in my dreams? Why is this even happening? Why now?"

Cloud starred at Allen, not knowing what to do. She remembered herself when she was young, how different she was now. Her pupils gone, her hair no longer brown, scars all over…Yet Allen still thought the two were connected? Feral peeked over the table to see the drama that was enfolding. Cloud thought to herself, what she could say to the boy to satisfy him. Should she just come out and say the truth? Cloud sighed. She had hidden the truth for so long. Now what was she supposed to do?

"I don't know what to tell you kid…" Cloud looked away. "I don't know you." _Not anymore. _She wanted to add in, but the words wouldn't come out. Allen seemed to see this. He moved closer. Feral growled warningly, but Allen ignored him.

"Please…" He said. "I need to know."

Cloud was about to open her mouth to respond, when an explosion sounded next to them, blowing the wall and window to pieces. Cloud grabbed onto Allen and softened his fall with her own body. Feral gracefully landed beside them. Cloud moved away from the rubble, ignoring the screams, and looked up to her attacker. It wasn't an atrocity. Cloud starred at what only could be an Akuma, level four. Cloud smiled wickedly at the creature that smiled back at her.

"That was very rude. I hope you have enough to compensate for the damage you've caused." She pulled her arm back, a blur aura circling around her.

* * *

**-removes bloody white coat- Okay everyone, Tyki's new face allowed me to kill him. Hopefully for good this time. So review, tell Lauren what you think. Next chapter is the fight, and maybe we find out who Alphonse is. Maybe even more about Cloud herself. Hmmm.....That's a good idea! -runs off to write some-**


	6. Memories, Sharp as Daggers

**Wow this took awhile. =/ Lost my mojo for awhile there. Please don't send hate mail. o.o.... Anywhoozle! If you all still remember me, here is the next chapter. Yey! Oh, and I read one of the comments about my third character, where they thought it was a fullmetal cross over. When I read that, I was like, "...CRAP! He's right." Sooooooo I changed it. =) Go back and read the new discrption if you would, cause it's not even a boy anymore. Anyway, I hope you like the new stuff! XD**

**Tyki: Why do you keep changing things?**

**Me: o.o....No.....it's not possible......**

**Allen: Can we get through one beginning without murder?**

**Me: Silence! I will destroy you Tyki, if it's the last thing I do! (explodes)**

**Allen: O.O**

**Tyki: (smirks evily) Oh she'll be back. She'll be back.**

**Allen: (smacks head) **

**

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**Chapter Six: Memories, Sharp as Daggers

_It was the hardest thing I've ever done. I did everything for my brother. In return, he stayed with me. He kept me company, and loved me back. I liked having this brother sister relationship. But it became apparent that I couldn't take care of him. I had to find someone who could. It was what was best for him, no matter how much I wanted him to stay, that was how it had to be. _

_He clung to me a cried, when I tried to introduce him to Mana. Mana was a nice man who could take care of Allen in a way I couldn't. I was just too young. But Allen wouldn't let go of me, he said he didn't understand. I didn't blame him. So…I had his memories blocked. It was all I could do to make his little hand let go of me. As I watched him walk away, part of me went with him. But the rest knew it couldn't follow. At least, not anymore. _

The Akuma's arm formed into a giant machine gun and wasted no time in filling the little café with lead. Cloud grabbed Allen's collar once again, and dashed to the side. The bullets flew after her, as she used the dust they were creating to her advantage. She threw Allen to the side, turning to face her partially blind attacker. He hit the wall with an 'oomph' and stared off as Cloud also disappeared.

The blue aura swirled around her again, and then she thrust her arm forward. The aura shot out like tentacles, winding through the air and impaled the Akuma's firing arm. It looked over in alarm as the aura twisted inside of it, and ripped its arm apart from the inside. Cloud gave the creature no time to scream. She lunged forward, the aura falling from her hand like wind. She hit the side of her hand against the Akuma, and it sliced all the way through. Cloud smiled in satisfaction as the thing uttered a cry of pain and confusion. Cloud jumped away as it flailed about before it moved no more.

"Tsk." Cloud turned away from it in disgust. That was way too easy. There was no challenge to that fight at all. If all Akuma were like that, then Cloud was going to be very, very bored.

"Watch out!" Cloud turned just in time to see Allen slash through _another _Akuma. This one didn't seem to be as strong as the first one, but it had been able to sneak up to Cloud while her back was turned, and impale her with its long sword arm. Cloud was stunned for only a moment as Feral and Allen cut the thing in an X slash, killing it. Feral swiftly changed back to cat form, using the dust so that no one would see him. He quickly ran to Clouds side, who still standing, clutching her wound with an annoyed expression.

The two did not need to speak. Feral jumped unto Cloud, and a rapid darkness engulfed them. It was like a protective egg shell at first, and then thinned and whisked away like something alive and sinister. It slipped through the alleys, promptly disappearing from watchful eyes.

Allen stood with his sword still in hand, examining the array of coughing and scared people. He found that no one hurt, but wondered about Cloud. He couldn't see her anywhere. And before he had destroyed the Akuma, he saw something big and black, with glowing eyes. He remembered a red one…Was it another Akuma?

"Cloud?!" Allen called, putting his anti-Akuma weapon away. Only more moans of citizens answered him. "Cloud!" Nothing.

_There's no worse feeling than that of feeling alone. To be alone to have absolutely nothing, not even any other bad emotion that would seem just as worse as loneliness. It's a feeling a complete nothingness, no sense of hope or despair. Just empty. _

_So when the Order picked young Cloud off the streets, she didn't fight much. Of course, she later regretted not fighting. What came after was series of tests to see if she was compatible with something called innocence. The tests to make her Gods weapon felt more like murder. Every time it felt like they were cremating her, it burned right through the bone and marrow. She heard every word, how they talked about her like she wasn't there, like she was a thing, and then they would send her to be burned again._

'_She's an orphan, no one will miss her.' They said._

_It was there that her loneliness turned into hatred. She forgot about Allen, about the parents that wanted him dead, about everything. All she could see now was her desire to destroy that which caused her pain. It was the most barbaric of human nature, the need to destroy that which you reject. That which you fear. _

_But she could do nothing. When it became apparent that Cloud could not wield innocence, they tried to make her into a different kind of weapon. They had recently taken interest in Taboo, trying to make half Akuma, half human weapons. Though it was horribly flawed, and it only cost Cloud her arm. _

_She made a deal after that. With the devil, with the millennium Earl, with the Akuma, she wasn't sure. She didn't care. All she knew was that this curse gave her the power to break free of that awful place. Finally…she was free. _

_It was only later on that she realized she was never really free. _

Cloud woke from her dream with a groan of annoyance. She knew it was inevitable. To go back to that place, she was bound to have some nightmares. But Cross made it impossible to work outside the Order, like she had originally planned.

Cloud sat up and looked around. She was in a small room, light only by a flickering candle. The dark boards and creaky bed were all that inhabited the room, besides herself. She realized with a sinking feeling that Feral was not in the room. She sighed. He was always with her. She hated it when he went off. But she understood.

_Probably just went to get something to eat. _Cloud thought to herself. She swung her legs over the bedside and stood up. Basically everything cracked as she stretched, trying to adjust to moving again. Cloud walked to the door and opened it, peering out into the hall with an idle curiosity.

She sighed when she realized where she was. It was Takuma's home. Cloud wandered out of the room, and walked deeper into the hall. She was beginning to hear voices talking at the end of the room. Was Feral really speaking with Takuma? He hardly ever spoke aloud…

As she got closer, she realized it wasn't Feral's voice. This voice was soft, innocent, and almost childish. She stopped at the entrance to the living room, where she had first talked with Takuma, and saw Allen sitting with Feral in his lap, and Tim buzzing around his head. Takuma sat across from him, his hands in his lap neatly folded. The three looked up as Cloud stepped in.

Feral jumped away from Allen and immediately threw himself into Clouds arms. She smiled and hugged him lovingly. Allen got up and touched her arm, a caring gesture, saying how glad he was that she was alright. Cloud had never felt so surrounded by warmth in her life.

"Good to see you up. It was a rare sight to see you injured though." Takuma interrupted. Everyone looked toward him. "Must have been some fight."

Allen looked back at Cloud. "Takuma's been telling me a little about you."

Cloud moved Feral onto her shoulder, and motion for everyone to sit down again. "Oh really now. What has he been saying exactly?"

Takuma held his hands up in defense. "Nothing that I didn't know myself dear, which isn't much."

"He says you're abrasive." Allen smiled like he was guilty of something. Cloud raised an eyebrow at Takuma.

"You did break my door." He shrugged.

"I fixed it afterwards."

"Still doesn't change the fact."

"You need to put on your big girl panties and get over it." Cloud smiled.

"Thus, proving my point."

Allen coughed, diverting everyone's attention. "Anyways…Cloud, a mission came by for us a little while ago. I was waiting for you to wake up…"

Cloud groaned. "Already? I haven't been out for more than two minutes!"

Allen smiled. "I know, things have been really busy lately. It's not that far away, so it shouldn't take long. It's near the Café where we were attacked."

"Ah, okay…Hey Allen, how did you get here?" Cloud tilted her head.

"Feral came back for me. He led me here. He's really smart for a cat." Allen pet Feral and smiled at him. Time landed on his head, like he was trying to divert his attention to him. Jealousy maybe?

"_Yes, for a cat." _Feral chuckled. Cloud smiled, and scratched behind his ear.

"Yeah, he sure is. Anyways, gimmie the details, lets get this mission over and done with."

~X~

Lulu searched through the room, being as careful as possible not to disturb anything. This man was a General. He would most likely know if something had been tampered with. She even made sure not to disturb the dust.

_Where would he hide such a thing? _Lulu wondered to herself. She opened the wardrobe and found nothing. She shuffled through the sheets, checked every chair cushion, on top of shelves, and even went so far as to check inside the many empty wine bottles. Nothing.

_This place stinks like a bar. _Lulu wrinkled up her nose. She always hated bars. Lulu was about to conduct another search, when the doors opened. She only had a moment to dash out the window she had come from, close it and disappear. Cross walked into the room with an annoyed expression.

Lulu cursed under her breath and made her way down. She couldn't find anything in the room. That meant one of two things. Either he was carrying it on his person, or he was bluffing. Cloud would not be happy.

* * *

**To be perfectly honest with you folk living in my computer, I did this while I was on a block. I'm a very bad planner, I'm more of a spontaneous writer. And well, that has it's limits. ^___^ You should tell me what you think! Tell what you think might happen, or what you think should happen. Maybe it will give my brain a jump start.**

**Tyki: We could just electrocute you. **

**Me: Oh, and I found a good way to kill you. (holds up Road) Go git 'im! **

**Road: Tyki~~~~~~! XD**

**Tyki: NOOOOOOO!! (flees)**

**Me: Heh heh heh... So anyway, I'd also like some input on this chapter too. And to the guy that thought this was a cross over...I am deeply sorry. That was not my intent. But of course...Alphonse doesn't have purple eyes....Nor does he wear jewlery. So it wasn't really as much, but I changed it none the less! Good day. =)  
**


	7. With you halo slipping down

**It is 11:20 at night! Yey! I'm tired! XD This was a random burst of writing, but it still fits. It feels like it's slowly turning into some kind of drama though. =/ Oh well.**

**Tyki: If you don't like it, fix it.**

**Me: What the hell happened to Road?**

**(Somewhere at a pedophile convention, Road is tied up in the back room.)**

**Tyki: ...Beats me!**

**Me: LIAR! (pounces on him.) You will tell me... (takes out chocolate rain CD.) Or you will not yet _begin _to suffer!**

**Tyki: No! I hate the song! It just keeps going on and on!**

**Me: Die worm! (plays it on super loud.)**

**Tyki: NO~~~~! **

**Allen: Well...This is new...Please enjoy the chapter everyone...**

**Me: MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA~~~! XD**

**

* * *

**Chapter Seven: With your halo slipping down…

The clouds had grown dark, and began to swirl in the sky with an ominous determination. As if they were looking down on the world seeing it as it was, and smiling crookedly at it's pain. The thunder echoed after the flashes of lightening, filling every heart with anger. The loud roar of thunder, like a battle cry, always made people antsy in some way. Anger was one of them, the thunder sparking memories in them that had best be left forgotten. The dark display in the sky cast an ill-omened shadow over the town. It turned the buildings black; the windows dark and hazy, the streets were sleek with rain. Cloud had always loved storms. They felt like power. Power, anger, and sadness.

She held her sword up to look at her, the blood coating it staring her in the face. _More are added to the list. I don't know your names, but still, I carry your blood. _She whisked it to the side sharply before a blue light surrounded it and then it was gone. Cloud stood tall amongst the carnage, her face twisted into expressions she could not explain. Feral walked up to her, his paws slick with blood. He didn't seem to care much about the bodies around him; he simply walked around them like they were nothing more than an annoying rock in the road.

He jumped onto Clouds shoulder and began to lick his paws. He sneered, and made a sound of disgust.

_"Akuma blood tastes like copper." _Feral shook his head and decided to clean his coat another way. Later.

_"So much trouble. No matter where we go, we will find death. It's not just Akuma nature. I've seen a man turn on his brother, and a wife turn on her child. Sometimes there seems no point in keeping up this fight. But what else am I good for, hm?" _Cloud seemed to be thinking more to herself than to Feral. Feral looked at her, and was quiet for a moment.

_"Vivien...you…."_

"Cloud!"

Cloud turned around to see Allen running up to her, waving his hand in the air as if yelling her name didn't get her attention. Cloud only smiled and waved back. Sometimes she forgot why it was she was fighting so hard, for a cause that seemed so lost. Now she remembered.

* * *

_That day we met, we both decided to throw away who we were before, and be reborn anew. The names of our past were for us to know and for us alone. And it was that, that bonded us to each other. And together, we took our first step into the world. Together, we made a promise._

_I'm so sorry. I never realized just how much I love you. _

Cloud opened her eyes to find she was as stiff as a board. Slowly she sat up, unconsciously looking for Feral curled up at the end if her bed. He lay curled at her feet, like he always was. She looked to the side and saw Allen sleeping in the bed beside hers, obviously sleeping well. She sighed lightly, and moved to get out of bed without disturbing Feral. In nothing but her pajamas, she walked out of the hotel room, and made her way down the stairs, into the street.

The storm had moved on. That after smell of rain lingering in the air, as well as the last of the dark clouds to follow the storm to its next victim. The night laid heavy on town, as everyone lay sleeping in their beds, blissfully unaware.

Lulu walked out of the shadows, her hands empty, and walking in a hurry. Cloud frowned. She new this did not bode well.

"Sorry there Cloud." Lulu wrapped her arms behind her back. "He's either got it on his person, or he's bluffing."

"He wasn't bluffing. He's got it on his person. Damn it all to hell." Cloud grit her teeth.

"How come you didn't see it before?" Lulu tilted her head.

"I can't see everything Lulu. I have my limits." Cloud ran her hand through her hair, and sighed. "I wonder if I should just beat it out of 'im."

"Yes, because violence solves everything." Lulu rolled her eyes. "I could just steal it off of him while he's sleeping. I don't he'd sleep with a rock."

"No. I think he'd be much smarter than that." Cloud looked at Lulu. "Thanks for your help. I can take it from here."

"You sure you don't need anything else?" Lulu looked hopeful.

"Not for now. But the time may come again. I hope you'll be ready."

"Dear Cloud, you forget who you're talking to!" Lulu held up her arms and flexed for example, even though she didn't really have any muscles. Cloud smiled.

"Leave the bruiser babe role to me."

"Yes, Captain One Arm!" Lulu saluted.

"Ouch. My pride." Cloud frowned. Lulu half smiled and gave Cloud a quick hug before running off. Cloud never knew why she was always in such a hurry. She was always running, never resting. Cloud wondered if she was still searching for her older brother. The one that had mysteriously disappeared years ago, presumed dead. Cloud shook her head. Oh, to be able to dream.

Cloud walked into hotel room again, and settled into bed. She looked over at Allen, who seemed to be having a good dream. _I wonder if he's dreaming about me… _Cloud wondered faintly. Even so, it didn't matter anymore. She had changed too much, to be remembered as the bright, brown haired girl she used to be. Cloud looked at Feral again, knowing he was awake and watching her, before she closed her eyes.

* * *

Kanda dashed to the side as the atrocity shot at him with spikes exploding from its back. Cloud and Feral leaned up against a tree as they watched him with mild interest. Kanda cut the air with Mugen, using the move Ichigen, aiming for the creature ahead. It rolled away, quite literally like the wheel of a cart, and launched more spikes. Kanda just barely got out of the way, the spikes tearing at his cloths. He wobbled a little, his breathing becoming ragged. Cloud remained as she was.

"You know, this would be a lot easier as a team. Just sayin'." Cloud shrugged, and Feral chuckled.

"Shut up! If I can take Akuma, I can take this thing!" Kanda readied his sword as the atrocity came at him with all spikes bared, ready to rip him to shreds. Kanda struck out with Ichigen again, hoping the charging creature would be unable to dodge. The creature moved to the side, as was soon right back on course. Again, Kanda only managed a slight getaway, his shirt almost falling off.

"You're gonna be naked by the time this is over." Cloud couldn't help but smile.

_"Wouldn't that be a show?" _Feral laughed.

"Be quiet!" Kanda almost threw Mugen on the ground. "This is impossible!"

"Team work~." Cloud smirked as Kanda glared at her. "Uh, watch out."

Kanda looked over just as the atrocity hit him and sent him flying into the air. The spikes cut into his torso, leaving trails of blood in the air, and as he flew back down. He hit with a loud **thump**, and groaned in pain as he tried to get up for the next attack. It was already closing in on him; Kanda couldn't get up fast enough. He grit his teeth. _How irritating. _He thought.

Cloud stepped in front of him and sent a blast of blue fire at the creature. It moved as it had before with Kanda, but Feral was right there next to it. He pushed the atrocity into the fire. The creature screamed, and unfurled itself, trying to claw away. Cloud was there in a flash, bringing her hand down on the thing and chopping its face in two. Feral opened his mouth and blasted the rest of it away, till there was nothing but a scorch mark left on the ground. Cloud stood up and smiled at Feral, who purred happily back. She nodded towards Kanda, and Feral changed back into a cat as he trotted happily over to the defeated samurai. Cloud kneeled down beside him.

"Thanks for that Yu. You got him thinking he had this in the bag, so the fight was purdy easy once Feral and I got in there." Cloud smirked.

"Oh, shut up." Kanda grumbled. Cloud laughed.

"I'll tell you a secret samurai." Kanda looked up at her. "I'm only as strong as the one standing next me. If I didn't have Feral, I probably couldn't have beaten that thing either." She poked his nose. "True strength is something you _take_, from those that need you. It's not something simply gained. Though training does help." Cloud smiled at Kanda, and then moved to help him up. Kanda tried to push her away, grumbling that he could walk on his own. Cloud let go, and of course, Kanda fell. Cloud rolled her eyes and laughed lightly. "You got a long way to go, samurai."

Cloud moved to help him again, and this time, Kanda did not protest. She wrapped her arm around his waist and hoisted him up, urging him to walk as well. Though it was a little hard for him. Together, they walked back into town, with Feral at their heels.

At the hotel, Cloud told Kanda he didn't need a doctor, saying she could fix him up just as well. She sat cross legged behind him as she spread ointment over his wounds, and eventually wrapping them up. Feral lay curled at the edge of the bed, happily sleeping the time away. Kanda sat hunched over, as if he were brooding something over.

"Cloud…" Kanda said as she moved to his front to finish the rest of his bandages. She sat on her knees, pushing Kanda to sit up straight so she could lean forward and continue to treat him. Kanda couldn't help a small blush. He was glad Cloud wasn't looking at him.

"Yes, Sir do it on his own?" Cloud giggled.

"Why did you join the Order?" He asked.

Cloud stopped. She seemed to be starring off into nothing for a moment, before she continued.

"No reason." Cloud said nonchalantly. She cursed to herself. She was a terrible liar.

"Bull shit. When I met you, you were with an anti-Order cult. And now you expect me to believe you joined the Order for, 'no reason'?" Kanda scowled.

"It'd be nice if ya did." Cloud shrugged.

"Well I don't." Kanda pushed Cloud so she's face him. "Tell me why."

"Well I don't see why I have to tell you anything." Cloud looked a little annoyed as she sighed. "But If it'll get you off my back…I joined cause Cross has got something of mine. And to get it back, he said I gotta play dog and roll over. Bastard. But he can't hold it over my head forever."

_"Sure you should be telling him?" _Feral asked.

_"It's not in detail. Besides, maybe this means he'll help me get the stone." _

Feral smiled. _"You devious little girl." _

Kanda raised an eyebrow. "Something you want?"

"Yeah, a real pretty rock looks like regular crystal. But it was given to me by my dear old dad, dead and gone, and I'm pissed." Cloud made an angry face. _Please buy it. _

"How did Cross get that?" Kanda furrowed his brows.

"I didn't exactly carry it with me. And you don't think you were the only one who saw me fighting right? I don't know when or whatever, but the goal of a general is to destroy Akuma and get more Exorcists. So…guess I was just on his 'recruit' list."

"But where did you put the rock? How did he get it?" Kanda remained unrelenting.

"Sheesh you ask a lot of questions. Your girlfriend ever decide to go out grocery shopping, she's gonna come home to an old fashioned police questioning."

"Stay focused."

"Right, right. To be honest, ya got me there. The guy knows his stuff." That was truth at least. She had no idea how Cross had come to find such a thing in his possession, or how he had known about her. But, here she was…

Kanda was silent for a moment before he let Cloud go. "You're not just making this up…? I mean, why would you try to hide that?"

Cloud held up her right hand. "Cause it's just a little embarrassing. I take down Akuma and atroceties, but I can't keep an eye over a rock? What a joke. But that's it. Scouts honor."

"Like you're a scout." Kanda smiled. Cloud smiled back and moved to finish up his wounds. The rest of the time was pretty much quiet. Cloud kept glancing at the tattoo on Kandas chest. She frowned.

_"Poor guy. I almost feel bad." _Cloud said.

_"Almost. But it won't matter in the end anyway…Will it Vivien?" _Cloud winced at her name. She could tell Feral was unhappy. He only called her by her real name when he was, just as she did. But it wasn't the lying he didn't like. And she knew it.

_What else can I do? _

_

* * *

_

**I have triumphed. Yes. Tyki is dead again. ^________^ Review or I refuse to eat my vegtables! **


	8. And there was so much promise

**Yey! Another random burst of writing. ^____^ This all came out at eleven o'clock and at twelve I decided my fingers were falling off and I should probably go to bed before my eyes follow suit. XD But, this is what happens. Hopw ya like it.**

**Tyki: It'd be nice if something bad happened to _you _for a change.**

**Me: (looks down at Tyki, who is being sat upon.) Shut up. You're a chair.**

**Tyki: You can't stop me. (grins.)**

**Me: (Puts duck tape over his mouth.) Enjoy the chapter everyone.**

**Allen: She didn't try to kill him this time....o.o.....**

**Me: That comes later! ^________^**

**Allen: o.o......(face palm.)**

**Tyki: Mmff! _ **

**

* * *

**Chapter Eight: And there was so much promise…

Cloud lashed out angrily, her arm vibrating from the force, almost about to burst. A blue wave of electric energy shot out at the atrocity that was stupid enough to challenge her anger, splitting it in two like the fly it was. Another burst from the corpse, trying to attack while Cloud was gathering up energy for the next attack. But Feral was quick to pounce and rip the beasts head off.

One by one the atrocities fell, in a shower of blood and flesh falling like summer rain. Both Cloud and Feral looked like they had committed a massacre here. Cloud walked forward as another beast came at her. She ducked and let Feral jump over her to crush its face. She then lashed out again, this time letting the energy linger over the next beast, as it screamed before it died. Cloud kept moving forward, the beasts dropping at her feet, almost like she was leaving a trail of bread crumbs. Feral walked beside her, looking like the herald of death himself. They both did, covered in blood that wasn't theirs.

Cloud stopped at the old mansion, watching as the wind tried to pry away the dead vines from the walls of peeling paint. The windows chattered as if they were cold, and the house creaked and moaned as if it were in pain. There was no one inside, not a living soul. Cloud snorted and stepped unto the grounds of that desolate place. She kicked down the old oak doors, without remorse or respect for this old place. Inside, bits of rubble and bits of wood lay sprawled about, resembling in ruins the battleground outside. Indeed, this place had not known love in a long time.

Cloud marched up the stairs, and tore through one room after another. She finally reached the library, and seemed to calm down as she stepped inside. Feral stood beside her, looking around curiously, as Cloud seemed to withdraw into her mind.

_"There are a lot of secrets in here…" _Feral said.

_"Which means there's a lot of answers." _Cloud stepped forward, and took the first book from the shelf.

~X~

Allen waited patiently for Kanda to stop meditating. He knew that Kanda could feel him there, and that annoyed him. She he was fairly sure that eventually Kanda would scream _**WHAT?! **_And he would be able to grab his attention for a moment. He stood silent, doing nothing to make sound but breathing. He needed to breathe. And that's what Kanda heard.

"What the hell do you want Moyashi?" Kanda growled. At least he didn't yell.

"DoyouknowwhereCloudwent?" Allen asked all in one word.

Kanda looked at Allen and raised an eyebrow. "What? Speak English!"

"Do you know where Cloud went? She disappeared after Master's death…" Allen scratched the back of his head. After Cloud and Allen had come back to report on their mission, the death of the general Cross had already occurred. Allen followed Tim to the scene, and Cloud wasn't too far behind. When Cloud saw, she didn't look so much sad as…angry. She looked as if she were about to just kill whoever dared to bother her next. So Allen decided to give her some room.

Then Cloud was rustling through Cross's room. Allen doubted that she knew Tim was there. Maybe she did. She looked too annoyed to notice anything. She was careful to put everything back, cursing the entire time. Feral would jump up to high places and sweep through the dust. They even searched under floor boards. When they were done, it looked like Cloud hadn't found what she was looking for, and she stormed out. That was the last time Allen saw her.

"She's gone?" Kanda's expression changed.

Allen nodded. "I take it that means you don't know?" He sighed and sat down next to Kanda. "I think she was looking for something and Master had it. She couldn't find it in his room. Maybe she went…looking for the body or something."

Kanda looked ahead. "I wonder…if she left the Order."

Allen looked up in surprise. "Do you think she'd do that?!"

"…I do. That woman has no pride."

Allen's heart sank. His dreams were becoming clearer by the night. He was positive now, these were his first memories. And he was also positive Cloud had something to do with them. Her hair had changed, and she was covered in scars but…there was no mistaking those eyes. Allen just felt like…he knew. And he didn't question it. He wanted the chance to ask Cloud more on the subject, even though she kept denying. He felt like she wasn't hiding something, but protecting.

"So then she's not coming back." Allen said to himself.

"I don't think so." Kanda replied regardless.

"Do you know what she might have been looking for?" Allen gave Kanda a side long glance.

"She said it was some stone that Cross had used to blackmail her." Kanda said without thinking.

"I see…You don't know what stone it was?"

"It's supposed to look like a crystal. But other than that I don't know."

"Right." Kanda's attention was drawn to Allen as he stood. "I'm going to go look for her."

Kanda gawped. "_What?!_"

Allen was already on his way out. Kanda stood up and grabbed him by the collar. "What the hell Moyashi?!" Kanda yelled. "You have no idea where she went or even what she's looking for!"

"I know she's looking for a stone." Allen tried to pull away.

"That's not enough!"

"Well it's a start! I have to do something." Obviously, Allen was no match for Kanda.

"You hardly know this woman!" Kanda pulled Allen closer. "Quit being a fool."

"I do know her! I don't how, but I do! I dream of her. When we were younger." Allen glared at Kanda, a new determination burning in his eyes. Kanda looked back in shock, wondering how to take the new information. Allen took the opportunity to launch forward, knocking Kanda to the ground. Kanda was quick to regain his senses, and kneed Allen in the stomach. The boy couched, but Allen's purpose drove him on. He punched Kanda in the jaw, and pushed down with his knees to try and make Kanda let go. Kanda growled and rolled so that Allen was beneath him. He grabbed his hair and knocked his head on the ground. Allen groaned, clearly starting to loose the battle.

"Stupid Moyashi." Kanda pinned Allen's wrists down, and pinned his legs with his own. He looked Allen square in the eye. "You think you can just parade out there and magically find her smoking a pipe by a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Wake up."

"I'll ask people if they've seen her. She kinda sticks out, with all those scars…" Allen tried to protest.

"Don't you think she might be smarter than that? Besides, what about the Order?"

"I'll take Tim with me; we can communicate that way, if they need me."

"In that case, you're chances of finding her slip from zero to negative. We're in the middle of a crisis, they will always need you." Kanda continued to throw the truth. But Allen remained resilient.

"Then what would you do?! We can't just leave her out there!"

"We can. She's a lot stronger than you think."

"No, I mean…I need to…I need to know…"

Kanda tilted his head. "You said you had dreams of her…when you were children…"

"I don't remember…But I think she does…I need to know…It's eating me away."

Kanda remained silent for a moment. He sighed and released Allen's wrist, rolling aside to sit beside him. "So then, you're willing to accept the consequences?"

"I need to know the truth."

"I wouldn't seek all the answers Moyashi. You may not like what you find."

"Even so, I have to try."

Kanda sighed. "You're a stubborn fool. What you're doing is completely idiotic and will most likely bring nothing short of disaster."

"I can take it."

"Liar. You're too soft."

Allen sat up. "So then come with me."

Kanda laughed. "What? You want me to share in you're lunacy?"

"I know you want to find her too."

Kanda shook his head and sighed. He smiled softly to himself, thinking unconsciously of Cloud and her peculiar way of being well…Cloud. She seemed to care free and wild, one without pride but still a sense of justice. She was…almost radiant. He thought Allen was completely the opposite. Though passionate, he had a great sense of pride, and would not simply leave the Order like this. He was well mannered, and stuck to the rules. But that's just how he was on the outside. Cloud seemed to affect how he was on the inside. Allen had always been so closed off, even if he would deny it. But with Cloud, he seemed to…loose that sense of fear. Fear of someone getting close, like she was already close.

"What a stubborn fool." Kanda scoffed.

~X~

The library, once neat and preserved, now looked a lot like the rest of the mansion. It looked like an explosion of books, all over the floor. Cloud walked over them as if they were nothing, as she would skim through the volumes. Feral was off in some other part of the library, performing the same task.

_"It's not here." _Feral said.

_"Great. More good news." _Cloud kicked the book shelf, almost making it tip.

_"There are more places to search love, let's keep looking." _Feral tried to encourage her.

Cloud pulled out the next book. _"We're going to be here awhile." _

_

* * *

_

**So uh, sorry if there's any typos. Not perfect here people. Listen I really want to continue work on my book. I've been kinda focusing on this lately, hoping I can wrap it up soon, but I don't know how possible that is now. So...until I can sort things out a little bit, this story is on haitus. I really don't know how much of a loss this is, since I only have fourteen comments. =/ But tell me what you think of this chapter any way, and I'll try to squeeze some time in if ya really wanna keep reading. Thanks for understanding. ^___^ Oh, and I'm saving Tyki for something. D Think of it as something to look forward to! Mwahahahahahahahahahaaa riceballs!**

**Tyki: o.o;..........(gulps.)  
**


	9. Born a Martyr

**Okay so I know I said this was on haitus, but I forgot to tell you that I'm totally indecisive and I often go from one thing to another. So I'm still working on my story, but I managed to squeeze in time for this one! Yay~!**

**Tyki: Why can't you just stick with on thing, ya pansy?**

**Me: I will dismiss the pansy comment because it is true. However, since the aim was to insult me, adequate repercussions must be taken. You must die. **

**Tyki: Is, "You must die," your answer to everything?**

**Me: Yes. Now hold still.**

**Tyki: What is that?**

**Me: A sharpened platypus. I have painted my children for the last time. **

**Tyki: You're going to kill me with a platypus? **

**Me: My assassination is in two weeks. And after that is hibernation. The ritual must take place now. Or else the chicken nugget will forever plague us with famine and mad cow disease. **

**Tyki: ...Did you get into my wine cellar again?**

**Me: You left the door open. It tasted really bad, but I kept drinking anyway. The rum is gone.**

**Tyki: You drank all my booze?!**

**Me: Enough stalling! (jumps on Tyki and proceads to violently stab him with the platypus which is really just a blender, and so broken blender parts fly everywhere.) This is getting us no where.**

**Tyki: It's fine by me.**

**Me: No. It is time. The ceremony is about to begin.**

**(Kanda steps up in a black cloak.)**

**Tyki: The hell?**

**Me: Kill him, and you pass inspection this week.**

**Kanda: ...(shrugs and takes out a giant sharpened candy cane, implaing Tyki and silenceing him forever.)**

**Me: (puts hand on Kanda's shoulder dramatically.) Well done young sesshwane. And welcome Brother Candy Cane.**

**Kanda: ......**

**Allen: What's wrong with you?!**

**Me: Everything. Where've you been?**

**Allen: (face palm.) **

**

* * *

**

_Time has come for everyone, to think what we have done._

_Open your eyes and see, it's not a dream._

_You aim for a common goal, you are one with your foe._

_If only we could wake up soon and scream. _

_

* * *

  
_

Chapter Nine: Born a Martyr

Cloud must have read the book nine times by now. Feral had been searching elsewhere, and had not noticed her standing in the same place for hours. She stood like a statue; her eyes were the only thing moving. That radiance she carried with her smile had gone, replaced by a frown that harbored a cold and unforgiving wind. She closed the book, deliberately slow, and then burned it. The flames of her power danced about her hand, as the last black remains of the book slipped between her fingers.

"So…Now it begins." Cloud whispered.

_"Did you find something?" _Feral asked from his place in the library.

Her heart lurched as she heard his voice. Her determination she had had a minute ago was demising. She remembered her dream from the other night. _I'm sorry. I never realized how much I love you. _Her hands began to shake. The dream that had so puzzled her was now crystal clear. With great resilience that would someday bring great sadness and joy, Cloud made her decision.

_"Knox…" _

_

* * *

_Allen and Kanda sat at a table in a hotel restaurant that was filled with fat men booming with laughter, beer, and whores. The stench of the place was almost enough to make Kanda turn on his heel and brave the thunder storm outside. The rain beat down like fists, and the thunder was so loud it shook the ground. Allen and Kanda decided it was best to wait it out inside. Allen sat next to Kanda and held onto his arm. Not out of affection but out of fear. Just a moment ago Kanda was holding onto his sword with a vice grip, shaking with annoyance and anger. Allen was afraid for the laughing beer men, who had no idea there life was in danger right now.

"Would you let go of me Moyashi?" Kanda said through his teeth.

"If I do you'll kill everyone in this room. No way." Allen would rather be considered a queer.

Kanda tried to relax so as to convince the boy otherwise, but a few droplets of beer fell on him from the man beside him who was flailing his arms around wildly, a now empty beer keg in his hand.

"That's right. Let go of me, and maybe you won't die with them." Kanda fumed.

"Let's just get a room okay? You'd be away from all this noise at least." Allen tugged on Kanda's arm as he got up and headed toward the receptionist at the far counter.

"I didn't bring any money." Kanda pulled back.

"I brought some." Allen tugged on. "C'mon Kanda, I'm _not _going to have these men's lives on my conscious." Allen pouted.

Kanda starred at Allen for a moment. He thought how he looked sort of cute when he pouted. It was another face without the mask. Kanda quickly shook his head and banished the abnormal thoughts. "Just turn the other cheek, Moyashi."

"Kanda!"

"Oh all right! We can get the damn room!" Kanda sighed, defeated. But still Allen didn't let him go as he got the room key from the receptionist, and pulled Kanda up the stairs. With a sigh of relief, Allen unlocked the door to their room, and turned around to pull Kanda in as quickly as he could.

"You fool…" Kanda rubbed his temple with his free hand. Allen tilted his head in confusion, and turned around in the direction Kanda was looking.

"Oh…" Allen said. There was only one bed. Kanda closed the doorway and looked at Kanda, who held tighter onto his arm for some reason. Allen looked around the room. There was a table with chairs, a desk with a chair, a bathroom, and one bed. Allen was so eager to get out of the bar below, that he had asked for a room with one bed. Or perhaps he hadn't specified at all, and the receptionist just assumed because of the way Allen had Kanda's arm.

"Well…I could sleep on the chair." Allen offered.

"You could start by letting go of me." Kanda glared.

"Huh?" Allen looked down and saw that he was still holding onto Kanda's arm. He quickly let go and put his hands behind his back, as if he were suddenly embarrassed. It felt like, for some reason, the warmth left him when Kanda strode across the room and sat at the table. Allen suddenly felt like he could feel the rain. He followed Kanda and sat across from him.

"Really, I could sleep on the chair." Allen offered again.

"Forget it Moyashi. It doesn't matter. I don't know how you convinced me to go on this wild goose chase." Kanda shook his head.

Allen pouted at the comment. "You came on your own!"

"I came because you would be dead as soon as you walked out of the Order!" Kanda snapped.

Allen smiled. "So~ you came to protect me?"

"Basically." Kanda said, unaware of the trap Allen was setting.

"So~ that must mean that you like me. Right? Even though you call me Bean Sprout." Allen leaned closer.

Kanda sighed, looking out the window as if contemplating something. "I suppose."

"So~ maybe you want to _share _the bed? Hm?" Allen leaned closer.

"If you want." Kanda closed his eyes.

"Well great then!" Allen slammed his hands on the table, waking Kanda from his reverie. "I call the right side!"

Kanda blinked. "What?"

"No hogging the blankets okay?" Allen walked over to the bed, sat down and patted the spot next to him. "C'mon! We have a long day tomorrow."

Kanda growled and turned his back to the boy, ignoring him.

"Hey, didn't you hear me?" Allen tilted his head.

"Quite being ridiculous Moyashi." Kanda leaned back in the chair.

"But you said that you were here to protect me, and that you liked me and that you wanted to share the bed!" Allen smiled.

Kanda stood up and looked at Allen. Allen quickly changed his look to innocent. "When in the hell did I say _any _of those things?"

"Just a minute ago, when you were staring out the window." Allen pointed to the window, adding to his innocent appearance.

Kanda stopped and thought for a moment. After a period of time, his eyes grew in size.

"Shit." He cursed. "You little bastard."

Allen smiled. "What? I didn't _make _you say those nice things."

"And here I thought you were the prepped and proper one." Kanda rolled his eyes and sat on the bed.

"It gets tiring sometimes. Ever since I met Cloud it's been…different." Allen looked thoughtful.

"So far the only lead we've got for her is a witness who stated, "A scarred woman heading out of town." It's not a very promising start."

"Did he say which direction she was heading?" Allen moved closer to Kanda.

"Apparently, no mans land. He says the only thing out there is an old abandoned mansion." Kanda answered.

"Let's check there then." Allen smiled, feeling a small spark of hope.

"Are you certain she would go to such a place? What use would she have in an abandoned mansion?" Kanda raised an eyebrow.

"Well…I'm not sure. But you said it's the only place out there right? Maybe she stopped to rest, just like us. It's the best bet we've got right now."

"It's no mans land. Our safest bet would be to cross as quickly as possible, without any little side quests. She's probably moved on by now."

"The decision shouldn't be based on reason! As long as there's a chance, even a small one, we need to make that bet! Otherwise we lose without even trying…"

Kanda shook his head. "You're going to kill us both." Kanda sighed.

Allen smiled and hugged his friend. Kanda stiffened at the unusual gesture on the young one's part. He sat still, not really knowing what else to do. Eventually, he patted Allen's head.

"Uhh…That's enough now Moyashi."

No answer.

"The hell?" Kanda looked down and saw that Allen had fallen asleep with his arms wrapped around him. Kanda growled in frustration and tried to pry the boy off, or to wake him up, but was unsuccessful. He sighed, defeated once again, and lay down. He looked out the window, seeing the rain pelting down with unceasing vigor.

"I hope you're out there Cloud. If this boy means anything to you, you'll find me, because I'm just about at the end of my fuse." And with that he slept.

* * *

Cloud sneezed loudly. It echoed through the empty mansion like a million voices sneezed back. Cloud and Feral looked around and waited for the echo to stop, sitting together in the library.

"Wow, this place really is empty." Cloud commented.

"It is in the middle of nowhere." Feral lay his back down on the ground. "So you're certain of this plan then?"

Cloud looked down at Feral. She had just finished conveying her plan to him. She had decided to tell him what she had found, rather than hide it and force it on him later. Feral had been there for her and Allen since the beginning. He wasn't simply her best friend, nor could she descried there relationship with love. It was something that went far deeper than that. Hence, why there was a problem.

"I want to know what you think." Cloud replied.

"After all these years of simply knowing, you ask my opinion now?" Feral did not move. He was completely calm, like he always was. And for the first time, it scared Cloud. She fidgeted uncomfortably. Feral knew, but pressed on.

"I know you're okay with it. You never object to anything I say. I've never had to say anything. But we could…break our bond…"

"Because you feel guilty?" Feral looked up and Cloud looked away. He smiled and shook his head. He stood up to move closer to Cloud and nuzzle her face affectionately, purring deeply in his demon form. Cloud instinctively reached out and scratched behind his ear, his favorite spot, returning his loving gesture.

"You've no idea how cruel you are being." Feral said. "I cannot imagine life without you. I would relive my time in the Order a thousand times over if it meant I could stay with you for a bit longer. My only desire is to be with you."

Despite the situation, Cloud smiled. A stray tear fell down her scarred face. That ugly face that anyone would cringe from, but not Feral. He always only loved her.

"This isn't any different from before. That boy, Allen, your brother, is worth it. I will forever fight for you; all I ask is that you take me with you. Don't leave me behind because you love me. It makes no sense, and is so cruel. Take me with you."

Cloud smiled at her friend and nodded. "Then you can't leave me either. You big fuzz ball."

* * *

Allen felt incredibly warm and constantly moved closer to that warmth. For the first time, he didn't dream of an earlier time with Cloud, but instead he was dreaming of the present. Cloud was smiling at him, Feral faithfully on her shoulder, and Kanda was standing beside him. They all seemed happy, everything was bright and shiny. Allen moved forward to hug Cloud, but she pushed him away. Allen looked confused, and Kanda grabbed his arm to hold him back. Cloud smiled again and waved as she turned around and walked away, disappeared into a window of light. Allen tried to go after her, but Kanda had a firm grip on him, saying things like, "You can't go there." At the edge of light, Cloud turned around and looked at Allen.

"Take care of yourself little bro. I'll be keepin' a sharp eye on ya." She winked and was gone. Allen screamed.

"Damn it Moyashi, wake up!" Kanda violently shook Allen, who was crying and screaming in his sleep. He only stopped when Allen's eyes popped open, stunned and confused for just a moment. Then his look turned into a glare and he viciously pounced on Kanda.

"Why did you hold me back?!" He demanded.

"Hold you…You were having a damn dream idiot! I woke you because you wouldn't stop screaming!" Kanda protested. But Allen was still in a daze. He fisted Kanda's shirt and shook him.

"She's gone! It's all your fault! I had a chance to…to…I don't even know!" Kanda growled and rolled over, forcing Allen underneath him.

"Listen to me _Allen_!" Kanda said softly. Allen sniffed and settled a little, still holding onto Kanda's shirt. "You were having a dream alright? Cloud's not…well she is gone, but you know why. We're going to find her, remember?"

Allen looked up at Kanda, his eyes sleek with tears and wide with fear. He held onto Kanda like he was a life line. Kanda looked at the fragile boy, and sat up, drawing the boy into a hug. Allen squeaked and looked at Kanda questioningly.

"What?" Kanda raised an eyebrow. "Isn't this what you do when you want to comfort a child?"

Allen pouted at the comment, but decided to dismiss it. "You're not going anywhere…right Kanda?"

Kanda looked at Allen for a moment, and then mumbled a "yes." Allen smiled and kissed him on the cheek. Kanda shot a look of surprise and shock to Allen, who immediately regretted what he had done.

"I'm sorry!" He tried to squirm away, be he forgot _he _was the one holding onto Kanda's shirt like a vice. "I didn't mean to do that! It just happened!"

Kanda narrowed his eyes. "I know you. You don't do anything you don't mean Moyashi."

Allen froze. He had him there. "Well…honest…that just kinda-"

Allen's sentence was cut short by a pair of full lips meeting his. Allen was in a state of shock for only a moment before he quickly responded to the kiss. Kanda wrapped his arms tighter around the boy, drawing him closer, and putting more force into the kiss. Allen gasped at the ferocity, and Kanda took his opportunity. He explored every inch of Allen's mouth, loving the way it tasted, sorrowful and innocent. Allen could only hold on as he was swept away.

Kanda pulled away, both men panting. They starred at each other for a moment, before Kanda quickly stood up and laid them both on the bed.

"Get some sleep Moyashi. You'll need it."

Allen smiled and settled close to Kanda. Things seemed to be looking up. He had high hopes.

But fortune was not on his side.

* * *

**I turned into Yullen. And the action is becomeing romance. If you hate me I don't blame you. Most people do. But you will still review! Or Tyki dies.**

**Allen: He's already dead. You had Kanda kill him while you were drunk.**

**Me: I don't drink!  
**


	10. For you, my Dearest

**Well this is it. The final chapter. Yey. I would usually put something up here explaining some weird and bizarre way to kill Tyki, but I'm really not in the mood right now. Plus, I feel it would ruin the seriousness of this chapter. And I love eggs. So anyway, I really hope you like this chapter, I tried to make it intense and epic. I also hope you'll keep an eye out for me, and look at other things I may post. I love to hear you feedback. Okay, I'll quite talking, so go ahead and read.**

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* * *

**Chapter ten: To you, my Dearest

Allen and Kanda looked up at the towering mansion, the front yard littered with bodies of fallen atrocities. The blood had long since soaked into the earth and dried, killing off any life that might have been there. It was a silent sight, almost sad. The bodies seemed to tell of nothing but pure bloodlust and hate, dying in a twisted and mangled form. It was…violent.

Kanda wrinkled his nose. "Good intuition Moyashi." He said. "She's defiantly been here."

"Do…Do you think she's still inside?" Allen asked, suddenly shaky.

"That remains to be seen. But I have something to ask you first. Why are you so desperate to see her again?" Kanda looked down at Allen, who looked back.

"To know the truth."

_"The truth is in the mouth of the orator, and your truth is not mine." _

Allen and Kanda looked around, both drawing their weapons as they heard a voice echo through their mind.

_"Oh calm down. There's nothing out here." _

Kanda looked up to the mansion. "Cloud?"

_"Come inside. I'll tell you what you want to know. But remember: the truth may not always be what you want it to be." _The voice vanished, sounding almost as if it were carried away by the wind. Allen and Kanda looked at each other, hesitating for a moment.

_"While I'm young!" _Cloud's voice boomed again, and the two boys wasted no time running into the mansion.

The place inside was filled with gray shadow. There was broken furniture, glass scattered on the ground, and a trail of blood leading up the stairs. Cloud sat at the top of those stairs, Feral sitting beside her. Kanda and Allen looked up at her and stopped. She looked almost like a fallen warrior. There was something calm about her now, peaceful. She looked almost…relieved. And sad.

"I was born into a poor family, much like anyone else." Cloud said as she stood. She slowly walked down the tall steps, Feral trailing behind her. "My mother was a whore, and my father was no where to be found. I was taught to be a beggar and a thief, as my only way to survive. Mom was usually gone, sometimes for months at a time, which was a relief for me. Then one day, in our plywood hollow, she came back with a pregnant belly."

She stopped at the bottom of the steps. Allen didn't move. He stood, and waited.

"I don't know who the father was, much like I didn't know who my father was. Mother brought this unborn baby home randomly, from some random man, and in that way, we were the same. I felt a stir in my gut then. Being a street rat, you don't feel much, but I felt for that child. I thought this one could have a life, or at the very least, a chance. I provided for that woman called my mother, kept her as healthy as I could, not for her, but for that tiny bundle inside her. And when he was finally born…she tried to kill him. I ran away, with him in my arms, and I never looked back."

Allen trembled. "Was it because…of my arm?"

Cloud frowned and shook her head. "Honestly, I wish it was. It was because she was a vile woman, who couldn't take care of me let alone you. The only reason she didn't kill me was because I was the one that provided for her. I don't know if she tried to do it out of love, so you wouldn't have the life I had, or because she was just a bastard woman. I don't care. It was not for her to decide."

"But what about after?" Kanda stepped forward. "This makes no sense. If you were the one that saved Allen, then didn't you raise him? Why can't he remember you? What happened?"

Cloud smiled. "Why Kanda, you seem so concerned about Allen. Love, perhaps?"

Kanda blushed. Cloud giggled lightly. "I'm just teasing. Yes, there is more to the story. I named the baby Allen. It was a miracle the boy survived for so long, considering he had no mother to provide him with milk. I was with him until he was three."

A tear escaped Allen's eye. "Only three years?"

"You became very ill." Cloud looked down. "I didn't have enough money to buy medicine for you, and when I tried to steal it, I was caught and beaten. You recovered only because a passing stranger was kind enough to give you the medicine you needed." She looked up. "His name was Mana."

Allen's heart skipped a beat.

"After that I realized I couldn't take care of you. I wanted you to live a life better than mine, and in order to give you that chance, you could not stay with me. But…you wouldn't let go of me. So I…had your memories blocked. And I gave you to Mana."

Allen was a statue, not knowing which way to fall. "But that's not the end of it. What happened to you after? Your arm…and your eye…"

Cloud smiled and walked over to Allen. She hugged him for the first time in so long, and he was warm. Warm with tears, and a love that had been blocked, but was still strong behind those walls. "Little brother…it never mattered…because somewhere out there you were alive and well."

She took a few steps back, and looked up at Allen, suddenly very stern. Feral jumped onto her left shoulder, swiftly seeming to mold in with Cloud, becoming apart of her. Before long he was no longer a cat, but Clouds left arm. Allen and Kanda stood transfixed in place as they watched the darkness crawl up from her shoulder to her face, swirling around her scarred eye. A red cats eye, as red as blood, shined and starred at them with the same resilience.

Cloud thrust out her new left arm, and the darkness surrounded Allen and herself. Allen heard Kanda scream for him once, and then it was dead silence. His akuma eye activated, and suddenly he could see. They were in a black, white, and gray city. It was made of tall brick buildings and wooden market stands. There was a section between buildings, which was filled with plywood make-shift houses. There was blood leaking outside, falling from the windows, and all the fruit on that stand was rotting away. But there were no bodies. No flies to attack the rotten fruit. No life at all.

"This is where it all started for you and me." Cloud spoke, her voice becoming two it seemed. Allen shook.

"Cloud…What's going on? Where's Kanda?" He gripped the wrist of his crown clown arm, almost by instinct.

"Kanda is safe, back at the mansion. And soon you will be there with him. But first, you must defeat me." Cloud rushed forward, her clawed left arm drawn back for the strike. Allen had just enough time to summon his sword and block her attack. Cloud gave him no time to protest as she hit the sword again, over and over with Feral, her left arm. Allen's brows creased and he pushed forward, pushing Cloud with it and sending her flying back. Cloud extended her claw again and her fingers grew, shooting forward like darts. They hit Allen's sword again and sent him falling onto his back, knocking the wind out of him.

Allen had only enough time to get up before Cloud came and kicked him in the cheek, causing blood to fall from his lip. It molded with the scene around him and suddenly became like the rest of the world around him. Bleak and dead. Allen rolled to the side just as cloud came at him again, pushing himself up and out of the way of one of her attacks. He propelled his sword up and brought it down, causing the ground to split and a blast of light to come rushing towards Cloud. She jumped back just as it hit her, cutting across her side and sending her crashing into the side of a building. Allen stood up and waited, as silence closed in again. Cloud burst from the rubble, paying no attention to her wound as she jumped down and used her right arm to send a ray of blue light hurdling towards Allen.

Allen had had enough by now. He couldn't understand why Cloud was attacking him. But if he didn't fight back, she could kill him. Allen wondered now, if she even would. But Allen didn't want to bet his life on it. He moved around Clouds attack and jumped to meet her in the air. Clouds red eye saw him coming and was able to grab the blade of his sword. Her hand, Feral, bled as Allen used her own grip to propel her down to the ground. She hit and something cracked. Allen fell to the ground, landing on his feet. The dust settled, and he saw Cloud lying there, unmoving. He walked up to her, breathing heavily.

"C-cloud?" He spoke softly. Cloud suddenly jumped up and grabbed him by the shoulder, taking him and throwing him down the street. Allen dug his sword into the ground to stop him, and was standing in time to counter Clouds attack. He twirled around her outstretched arm, and hit her in the back with the butt of his sword. She cried out and jumped away, holding her shoulder and gritting her teeth. That must have been where the broken bone was.

"I don't want to fight you Cloud!" Allen screamed as she ignored the pain and came at him again.

"I don't want to fight you either." Cloud hit him in the gut and he keeled over. "But we have to."

"Why… ?" Allen stood as she came down on him with her clawed left hand. Allen darted to the side and twisted around to hit her guarded left arm with his blade. Her hand fell back, seeming to scream on its own, and Allen saw his opening. It was not a thought; it was a reaction, a warriors reflex to strike an opening. He forgot that it was Cloud, the sister that saved him. He forgot that she could die, just like anyone else. Cloud saw him move in for the final strike. She moved her arms to block him, but stopped halfway through and smiled.

The blade hit her chest and went through, cutting her flesh like paper. Feral howled and fell away from her like water, slowly reforming into the form of a cat. The gray world Cloud had brought Allen too faded away, and they were back in the mansion. The ringing in Allen's ears drowned out, and he cold hear Kanda scream his name.

He blinked. And blinked again. He looked at the blood before him, falling from her heaving chest and her smiling lips. He trembled and let go of the sword, it evaporating away and reforming his arm. His akuma eye closed, as he watched with tears, Cloud falling to the floor. Kanda ran to his side, wrapping an arm protectively around Allen. He drew his face towards him, examining his cuts and bruises. But that was all. Kanda looked back at Cloud, bleeding on the floor.

"I don't understand…" Kanda said. "I saw you take out an atrocity bigger than a whale. This…" He looked at Allen, who was slowly falling into his chest.

"Kinda…makes you wonder…don't it?" Cloud laughed and ended up coughing. Allen looked up and crawled over to Cloud, holding her in his arms. She smiled at him and then looked over, reaching for Feral who lay next to her. Kanda walked over and tenderly picked up the cat, laying him down next to Cloud so she could stroke his fur. He opened his eyes and purred.

Cloud looked back at Allen. She brought her hand up and moved the hair away from his eye. He looked down at her, not knowing what to say, what to do. She just smiled at him, a warm and heartfelt smile. That relieved look came into her eyes again. As if she was glad to die. Her long and hard journey was finally over. At last…she could rest.

Then her hand fell away. Feral stopped purring, and his chest fell. Cloud's face paled, and she was still. Allen trembled. He tried to hold back the tears. But they forced their way out, determined to cry on their own.

"Why…" He sobbed. Kanda came over and took the boy in his arms, drawing him away. Allen grabbed onto Kanda as if he were the only thing left keeping him alive, and wept. The tears fell one by one, down onto the floor, and then silently, without notice, slithered over to Cloud. Clouds body pulsed. She and Feral glowed gold, and in small orbs of light, they faded away, carrying one of Allen's tears with them. Kanda watched in awe, and Allen was able to tear his face away from Kanda to see.

Cloud sat up. Feral jumped onto her shoulder. She turned and smiled at Allen and Kanda. The scars chipped away. Her arm reformed. Her hair grew color. She looked like she would have looked before. Beautiful, innocent, and pure. Like Allen.

_"Take care of yourself little bro. I'll be keepin' a sharp eye on ya."_ She winked and then the two disappeared into the ceiling, going past the wood and all the way into the sky.

* * *

Kanda had found a better hotel to stay at for the night. One not filled with drunkard men and whores. He had put Allen to bed, insisting that he sleep after his long ordeal. He now sat looking out the window, wondering what in the hell was going through Cloud's mind. He just couldn't wrap his head around it. He grieved for his lost friend. He truly was looking forward to getting to know her. Someone who could fight like her was a very interesting person in Kanda's eye. But mostly, he wanted to spare Allen all this grief. To just find she was his sister, and then…

He looked back at Allen, curled up under the covers. He had his hand on the pillow, a soft smile on his face. Kanda grinned at the boy he loved. Cloud may have been gone, but if it weren't for her, Allen would be too. She gave him the gift of life, and for that, Kanda was thankful.

And Allen, who dreamed of rolling green hills, a bright blue sky, and someone who waited for him far beyond this world.

* * *

**Yes so, I know I wasn't too terribly clear on what Cloud was doing for Allen. I gave hints, subtle, but I liked the mystery. And the tears thing at the end. I'm not sure if I should say here. If your desperate to find out, e-mail me, and I'll give you a full description. Otherwise, have fun.**

**And uh, I know I kinda turned it into yullen and put no hanky panky. If you want me to, just say the word and I'll try to get to it. Hope you all liked my story. Till next time.  
**


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